Atonement 05
by Mechanical Infection
Summary: After Loki's latest scheme to slay his brother fails all who he involved in his scheme set out to seek vengeance against him and Thor. Loki and Thor alongside the rest of The Avengers must set things right before Earth is destroyed. Along the way Loki and Thor patch things up. Better summary and warnings inside.
1. We Live In Over-Stimulated Times

**Notes:**  
As I had previously mentioned I was heavily unsatisfied with how this fanfiction had been written so as I kept writing it I was also re-writing it. I recently finished the original and have, as of a month and a half ago, begun writing this new version of it. I'm still making fixes, adding, taking out and re-working some of the material but overall the plot, the characters and the original concept behind this is still the same. I repeat, it is still the same. Granted I will have some actions certain characters made removed but I will keep the original version of this right here in .

**Plot Summary:**  
Upon returning to Asgard to face his punishment, incarceration until the All-Father sees otherwise, Loki conjures up his latest scheme to slay his brother involving, tricking and betraying along the way several dangerous foes. As he is close to his goals a change of heart from his part destroys his plans and while recuperating from severe injuries in Tony's California mansion Loki begins to gain their trust and they gain his. In doing so Loki and Thor begin anew as friends, teammates and brothers. When Loki's temporary allies learn he has used and betrayed them they seek vengeance in the form of Loki's bloodied corpse or the Earth will be destroyed.

**Warning:**  
This contains violence, strong language, and torture. NO PAIRINGS!

Just to clear any confusion this takes place a year after the event of "The Avengers" film but it also draws in elements from several related comics and "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" such as characters and some minor events and/or references. And no, nothing in Iron Man 3 will be mentioned here. I have not used any sort of IM3 development in this fanfiction. I'll try to keep the updates on a weekly basis.

_"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."_  
-**Chuck Palahniuk**

Imprisoned. Imprisoned until a proper punishment for all of the bloodshed, havoc and villainy he committed would be seen as justified. When he stood before his peers and beside his brother all he did was glare. He never once let a word slip through his lips to either defend or damn himself. He merely stood in a calm silence. That was all the surface of his being told all else. What they failed to see was the hatred boiling inside which he ever so calmly hid. His mind was chaotic and uncharacteristic, never focusing on one subject alone. Thoughts of revenge, murder, hate and not necessarily towards others raced through his mind. The occasional wandering thought of what kind of punishment he would have to endure sparked but for mere seconds. As youths he and his so called brother endured punishments for misdeeds and disobedience but it never prolonged the actual stated sentence and as furious as the All-Father was his declared punishments were watered down simply because they were his children.

There was also a distraction that burned him whenever he heard it. The word "son" was spat out and it was not towards the man next to him who refused to leave his side for reasons beyond his comprehension. He failed to understand why he was still referred to as "son" even after All-Father confessed. It plagued and burned him. He wanted nothing with these people.

All-Father's voice shook the halls, his facial expressions shifting, his right hand firmly holding Grungnir as he pointed it at him. Around the All-Father and surrounding the great golden hall was a sea of people looking at him; faces expressing utter disappointment, others not looking as surprised as if they had expected this from him. He was used to all looking down at him in such a manner yet even he had to admit it pained him. He snapped his gaze away as bitter childhood memories began to crawl in his mind and rather than look weak he preferred to glare and instill fear in others. He finally laid eyes on his brother whose tremendous frame seemed somewhat smaller due to his skulking as if _he_ was the one All-Father was addressing. His eyes gazed the floor as his head dropped. A great and powerful man reduced to a small child being scolded.

At some point his adoptive father's words, the murmuring from all others and his adoptive mother's weeping all seemed to blur into an unintelligible echo. Accusation after accusation was mounted and he shrugged them off as if he had merely stolen a trinket until All-Father approached him and ever so gently placed his enormous hand on his cheek and in a soft spoken manner delivered his final words.

"Needless bloodshed of the innocent is a crime, my son, and you have shed plenty. You also transpired to shed your own. A most foul and unspeakable crime and for attempting to end your own life as well you will be punished." Loki could feel as Thor shifted beside him as All-Father laid down his last accusation, a tiny gasp was heard and Loki looked up to see his mother covering her mouth while her wide eyed face became pale at the sudden revelation of this last accusation. It was clear to him that his "death" had been altered to protect her from the real details and to this he felt a sense of shame and guilt if only slightly and briefly.

The royal guards removed him from the hall and as he spun he could see Thor slightly shaking his head and Odin leaning his frame on the golden spear and lowering his head. Was it shame? Was it disappointment? He cared not.

Loki spent the better part of his nights and days sitting on the floor of his cell leaning against the farthest wall. He had picked a corner underneath the wide window, which he found was a cruel joke. To lay eyes on the world before him yet not able to touch or participate in it. It was also a laughable fact that he knew for certain he had been placed in the biggest cell they had, with an actual bed and not a stack of hay and the wall had a wide enough window to look outside but not big enough for anyone to slither through. Of course it would have been foolish to think the glass door would be so easily broken. Even in prison royalty was treated as royalty. There was also the matter of the cell having been enchanted to drastically water down his ability to use magic. Magic to dissolve magic. He found it oddly obscene but gave it little thought.

After the first seventy-three hours of incarceration he grew tired of looking at the same guards who so loyally kept a close watch on Loki as if All-Father knew he would attempt something. Oh, how well he knew of his mischievous son.

Surprisingly enough he heard heavy footsteps quickly making their way towards his cell and even before he saw the person in question he already knew who it was.

"Leave us!" Those were the only words that echoed that hall ever since he came to the cell. The guards obeyed without question and the mighty Thor stood in front of the door, heaving and heavy breathes escaping his nose. A perplexed look was present upon his face as he stared down at Loki.

"Something…plagues you, dear _brother_?" The emphasis on the word brother bore a certain venom to it but Thor decided to pay no attention to it. He knew this task of confronting his brother would be taxing and he knew he would have to endure taunts, even if they stung.

Thor inhaled and in a quick motion opened the glass door and entered stopping in the middle of the cell. All was quiet between the two brothers save for the sound of the glass door closing behind Thor. After what seemed like an eternity Thor finally spoke up. It was, Loki guessed, due to his oafish brother trying to gather his thoughts and organizing what Loki referred to as his small brain.

"I have spent many hours contemplating your actions both here and on Midgard. I need to understand—why, brother?"

"Your mortals are safe as can be and I am sure they are rebuilding even as we speak, they have nothing to fear from the big, bad wolf as he now sits before _you_ in a cell." Loki said in a dry tone as he pointed at Thor.

Thor took a step forward; there was a pained look on his face. "And what of your actions on the Bifrost?"

"What of them?" To that question in particular he raised a bit of concern and curiosity. He often wondered what became of the Frost Giants—or the survivors.

"Why would you do that to us? Why would you think that was the absolute answer?!" Thor was now pacing from side to side, moving his arms and flailing them as if trying desperately to show his brother how distraught he was about the subject. Loki on the other hand remained still safe for his eyes which traced every single movement Thor made.

"I already told you. To make a point to Odin and if by annihilating every last Frost Giant it would be taken then it—"

"How could you dare think to have loosened your grip on Father's spear?!" Thor yelled. He yelled because yelling was the only way he would be able to say what he needed to say.

"Oh…" Loki was taken by surprise at the question. That seemed to be rare for him nowadays. "That action. Spare me the theatrics, Thor. It is not as if you or any of them really would have noticed my absence—"

"We did, Loki, we noticed and we felt it!" Thor's voice trembled as he looked into his brother's green eyes, searching for something. The gaze was broken when Loki closed his eyes, scuffed and looked away.

"Please…" Loki hissed under his breath. He had to admit that the last thing he remembered and heard before being consumed by the darkness was Thor screaming and a look of terror plastered over his face. He also remembered Odin's indifferent expression, maybe slightly pained but otherwise indifferent. As if he merely lost a pet. Remembering only brought about a feeling he wished to bury as he did with every feeling of that nature and shrouded it with hate.

"I could believe such behavior from you and from Mother but as I fell I distinctly remember you trying to reach out to try and catch me but all Father did was stare. You looked horrified; I had never seen such a look wash over your face, but Father? Oh, the same cold, distant stare he always bestowed upon me."

Thor stopped moving, he traced back, as far back, as he could to remember the interactions between them and he not once found such a gaze settled upon Loki. In his mind he and Loki were treated evenly. They were certainly different in certain fields but none of it struck Thor as something to cause their father to treat Loki with less affection and love. He bent over, grabbed his brother by the shoulders and lifted him up to look him straight in the eyes. In a soft spoken tone Thor said, "No lies, no tricks from you, only the truth, as painful as it may feel, search back. What happened to make you feel this way?"

Loki narrowed his eyes, a frown upon his face, an almost feral snarl escaping his throat. Signs Thor knew very well and knew to avoid lest he becomes a target but today he had other concerns in his mind and would risk injury just to understand why his brother was plagued by such ill thoughts.

"You look me in the eyes and tell me I was not mocked for not being as strong as you, as gifted in the art of war as you, for not handling a battle ax as well as you. Tell me I was not the subject of jokes after I left the training grounds due to getting beaten down by someone bigger than me or failing to grip a weapon that was too heavy for me. For having to sort to different, less valued methods to learn how to fight. When I took up sorcery instead of a blade did you all not mock and stare and point? You all judged me! Why can you not just admit it?!"

Thor looked puzzled, as he remembered it was all fun and games at the expense of all not just Loki. Even Thor was mocked once or twice after succumbing to Lady Sif's sword. Volstagg is often ridiculed for his weight and Hogun was often pointed out for his supposed inability to smile. The Warriors Three were often times called out for boasting and exacerbating situations others knew were not true. This puzzled Thor. At some point they all met with the bitter end of a joke at their expense from stories of either training or some failed adventure that proved far too great for them.

"Brother, I—" Loki could see Thor's eyes searching, they were confused but they were searching and desperately. "Brother, we have all been the center of some sort of joke. It stings the pride at the moment but no one would have done so out of ill will. Why does this vex you so?"

Loki chuckled slightly, not surprised his less intelligent older brother did not understand his point. The sheer insult of having to explain everything in minute simple details was sickening. He never cared for jokes at the expense of his older brother and he had voiced his opinion on the matter. He had hoped Thor would have done the same for him but when his back was turned as he walked out of the training grounds the sound of laughter lashed at him like whips on bare flesh but the one that hurt the most were those of his brother.

"Of course I should not have been surprised that you would not have understood how that affected me." Loki whispered and for just a moment Thor caught a glimpse of sadness in his younger brother's eyes. His reaction was the same he had always had when trying to comfort his brother; Thor extended both arms to hug Loki. He could not find the correct words to ease his obvious pain but he could offer the warmth of a hug as he always did. As Thor closed in Loki pushed him back.

"Get…out…" Shaking breaths escaped Loki. Thor, as stubborn as he was, took two steps closer to his brother and before he could take another step Loki raised his right arm and extended his index finger which was glowing in a green aura. His chest began to expand exaggeratingly as he engulfed deep breathes. He was aware of the enchantment placed on the cell but it was second nature for a sorcerer to rely on his magical abilities when faced with a threat. As the magic glowed Loki's vital signs suffered. His breathing had become erratic and sweat began to pool over his brow, yet he kept his eyes narrowed and feral and planted on Thor.

"Get out or burn where you stand." Loki repeated.

"You would not—"

Loki interrupted in a snarling voice as he slowly approached Thor and in doing so pushed him back towards the glass door, "Have you not heard, _mighty Thor_? I ended the lives of innocents and even more disturbingly I was capable of attempting to end my own. What makes you think I will not end _yours_?"

"Loki—"

"GET OOOOUUUUUUUT!" Loki screamed at the top of his lungs as he pinned his brother against the door and in a swift motion planted both fisted hands on either side of Thor's head hitting the glass door and surely injuring his hands.

Thor received the message. He waited for Loki to take a few steps back and as soon as he did Thor opened the door. After it closed Thor placed a hand on the glass, he gave Loki a saddened gaze and slowly walked away. After he walked away Loki approached the door to make sure Thor left; he had indeed as the guards returned. As they took their places to stand watch Loki planted the top of his head gently on the glass and closed his eyes and slowly dropped to his knees. One arm wrapped around his waist and the other gently placed where Thor had placed his hand.


	2. The Times They Are A-Changing

**Notes:  
**As I previously stated: this will be updated weekly, chances are between Thursdays and Wednesdays.

**Chapter 2:  
****The Times They Are A-Changing**

"Banner, next time you decide that picking up a truck and hurling it at the enemy is a good idea, just sit in a corner and really, I mean _really_ think about it." Tony slowly walked across the room while slowly pushing his lower back with his two hands forward. As he reached a chair he pushed as much as he could and let out a long and loud groan as his back cracked. Clint and Hank groaned while wincing as they heard the cracking sound.

A sheepish Bruce stood at the door and in a low voice gulped, "I could take a look if you want." He rubbed his temple and while looking sideways he added, "Gosh, I'm sorry, Tony."

"Eh, that's all right." Tony idly waved off the comment as he turned to the bar, one of a few he had around the mansion, he poured himself some whiskey and before taking his first gulp he looked at the rest of the group and said, "Who was that ax wielding nutcase, anyways? Looked like something straight out of 'Dungeons & Dragons'."

Tony took a good helping of the whiskey and before swallowing Thor let his enormous hand fall on Tony's shoulders causing further pain and causing Tony to slightly shriek. "That was Skurge the Executioner. He is a henchman of Amora the Enchantress. What business did he have here in Midgard I know not but certainly he does not hail from these dungeons with dragons."

"No, big guy, it was a joke." Clint interrupted. The group often forgot that Thor was not from around and he would seldom ever understand a pun, a reference or most, if not all, jokes thrown about. Thor looked at Clint as if understanding but he did not get the reference. He knew he was not used to all of the particular jokes they so casually tossed around but he regarded these situations as a learning experience. After an hour of random conversations and swapping stories each headed to his or her own rooms to rest for the night. The Executioner did put up a good enough fight to have had them worn out. Settled in comfortable attire Thor laid in the bed Clint and Bruce insisted was a bit small for his frame but Thor was not bothered by it. Tonight his mind drifted off, occupied with worry of how his brother was, where he was, what kind of punishment All-Father bestowed upon him, if he was well or ill, if his hatred had worsened or somehow lessened. Some nights he could still see how his brother fell into the abyss and with the image came the question of why anyone would resort to those actions. Sure Loki was alive but it did not take away the fact that he had attempted against his own life and in front of Thor's very eyes.

Surely and steadily Thor drifted off to sleep.

Not all were resting well that night. Skurge returned to Asgard beaten and humiliated and even worse was the fact that he still had to answer to Amora for failing. As he walked the lonely dirt roads of the kingdom he suddenly became aware he was being watched. His goal was to retrieve to a place to find drink and ease the humiliation of having been beaten by Thor, some mortals and what he perceived to be a giant green ogre with a nastier temperament than a troll. He turned his gaze about and saw a figure cloaked in a large black robe and a hood covering the person's face. Both figures stared down at each other and for a moment Skurge slowly reached to his ax but the figure raised a palm in a stopping motion.

"You need not feel threatened. I mean to simply converse." A soft male voice escaped the hooded figure.

Skurge crossed his arms and said, "And of what shall we be conversing of?"

"You return tonight from Midgard, do you not? It would appear that your actions were not fruitful. You are angry and humiliated and do not look forward to addressing whoever sent you."

Skurge's gaze turned to a surprised look. This individual was well informed and it would either bring him fortune or demise. He decided listening further might determine which.

"Is your idea of conversing merely to point out the obvious or is there some benefit to me standing here and listening to you instead of crushing your skull?"

"Ah, directly to the point it is then. How would you like to possess Thor's mightiest weapon and at the very same time destroy him and his mortal team of Avengers?"

Skurge the Executioner smiled, "I like the sound of that proposition."

The exact same, predictable routine took place at the start of the rising of the sun. The heavy footsteps, the guards awaiting orders outside of the hall while All-Father entered the hall and stood before the only cell housing a prisoner. Usually every morning would start with questions, lectures and they were boring him. Today was different. Today Odin stood in front of the glass door and stared at his youngest son as if waiting for him to speak. Loki never even bothered to sit up or momentarily look up from his bed. He merely let out a heavy sigh.

A good twenty minutes passed before Odin conceded and turned to leave but before doing so Loki finally spoke up as he sat up and looked at his father's face with an empty look and a dry tone, "I can only fathom how much you regret ever having picked up a runt that was left to die. Look at all the trouble it brought you." Odin turned about and entered the cell and approached Loki.

"I do _not_ regret it, Loki! I raised you as my own, your mother, your brother and I all love—"

"Love? How quaint, yet it must taste awful on your tongue, _Father_, to say you ever felt such a thing for me. After all, was I not just another trinket for you to use for your politics? Now that I have failed to be of use to unite the two kingdoms, a task that ironically both Thor and I thwarted, have I outlived my purpose? Will you leave me here to rot or will I have to spare the All-Father of the task of ridding his kingdom of a plague and just…" The following words came out with a small shake but not small enough to have escaped Odin's attention. "Vanquish it myself."

Odin's fury had toppled, as the last words his youngest spoke entered his ears and registered Odin's only reaction was to swiftly land the backside of his massive hand upon his son's cheek, he had let out more power than he had intended for when Loki straightened himself out a small trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth. Odin felt himself shiver, he had never struck either of his children but the threat, which was clearly a threat, Loki expressed upon his life was much to bear.

Loki slowly blinked and as he narrowed his eyes he gathered the blood in his mouth and spat at the All-Father's feet. A gesture he never had done before but he had to admit he picked up from Thor and it felt good. Odin never removed his gaze from Loki's eyes; he pointed at him with his index finger and calmly said, "You will _never_ utter words such as those ever again. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Father."

Karnilla was seldom hostess to Asgardians in her kingdom, much less a son of Odin. When she was informed Thor had requested an audience with her she was taken aback but did not refuse him. She awaited his arrival atop her throne while guards crowded the area. The Norn queen and Asgardians did have their share of bitter fighting but she was not about to reignite problems of old but she was no fool either. Thor's presence was indeed odd.

The tall, wide Asgardian made his way into the throne room. Brilliantly blue eyes shining as golden strands of hair swished sideways with every step, facial hair of equal color housing a warm smile. Once in the center Thor placed Mjolnir beside his feet and bowed slightly out of respect.

"Thor Odinson. What brings you to my kingdom?" The Norn queen asked as she acknowledged the bow.

"My queen, I come to you with a request. I find myself in the middle of a most difficult quest in Midgard and I have come across rumors that you may possess an item that may aid me."

"Oh? And what item may that be, Odinson?"

"A small chest containing a Hel crystal."

The Norn queen tensed her shoulders and made a hand motion to her captain of the royal guards indicating for them to remove themselves from her company. As the last guard left, Karnilla turned to Thor and walked up to him. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "How have you come to possess such knowledge?" There was a scent of fear in her breath and Thor caught on to it.

"Barely anything escapes my brother's attention, especially if it pertains to magic and sorcery. Locked away does not mean that the current events of the nine realms will not reach his ears."

"Ah, Loki." The Norn queen's stance softened but not by much. She had relaxed merely due to the fact that she knew he was currently held captive. "How is your brother? Is he well?"

"I regret to inform you he is not, my queen. He is…sinking in despair…" Thor lowered his gaze and Karnilla noticed his breathing shook in a subtle way.

She placed a gentle hand on his left shoulder and said, "I am sorry. I meant not to cause unease. Your brother is strong and he has you to look forward to after he is released. All the nine realms know you care deeply for him. Love him; be strong for him once he is able to stand on his own. He will need you."

"Yes…I—he will need me."

"As per your request I am afraid I will have to decline. I cannot risk having Hela realize it was I who stole them from her." Karnilla returned to her throne and sat down as she looked upon a confused Thor.

Thor approached the queen with both hands hanging beside him. "If the crystal was truly stolen, for whichever reason you had to do so, it is of no concern to me."

"I do not question your honor, Odinson. I believe you would use the crystal and return it to me without informing Hela. While this is true I cannot risk this chest and its contents being exposed to those who would benefit using it against me."

Thor's eyes wandered, he needed the crystal. His mission would have been over before it would have started if he could not return to Midgard without it. He thought back and closed his eyes for a moment. He stood straight as he placed a serious gaze upon the Norn queen.

"My queen, there are others who know of the existing crystal and who is the current owner."

Worry washed over the queen's face. Her eyes widened as the words Thor spoke registered and in a panicked whisper said, "Who? I demand to know, Odinson!"

"How do you think Loki came to know of it? Amora the Enchantress had been captured and locked away but before escaping she had spoken about it, promising the guards riches if they would consent to aiding in her escape. It never worked but she did escape thanks to her ally, Skurge the Executioner. They know of the crystal, not just my brother and I."

Karnilla froze in her throne, she had tried to be so careful about the crystals and up to that moment she believed she was the only one who knew about them. Surely Thor spoke true words, barely anything went by unnoticed by Loki since he saw everything as an opportunity, this did not surprise her. However, the thought of Amora and her lackey Skurge coming across this knowledge was unsettling not to mention that part of her doubted Thor's claim. She could have been easily manipulated because of the fear of getting caught with the crystals and feared even more Hela's actions. She let out a sigh and approached Thor.

"It would seem we have an accord, Odinson." Her words were a delicate whisper, mostly out of fear of being heard by anyone else. "You say the crystals are needed for a mission in Midgard, use them, but in return I want Amora and Skurge in my court."

The Norn queen waved her right hand above her left hand and before Thor's eyes a small golden chest solidified. The queen stretched out her hand as she welcomed Thor to the contents inside the chest. Thor opened the chest and four shimmering crystals lay inside. He was surprised, he had thought it was only one crystal Karnilla had but right before him were four of them. Thor gave it no further thought and grabbed one of them; he kept it in the middle of his palm and noticed a small tingling sensation waving across his hand which spread slowly throughout the rest of his body. He clinched his palm into a fist and looked at the Norn queen with a look of gratitude expelling from his eyes.

"My queen, I thank thee."

"Be warned, Odinson." Karnilla said as she turned around and sat back on her throne. "For the crystal to have an effect it needs to remain on you before, during and sometime after a fatal blow. Otherwise it will _not_ work and you _will_ perish."

Skurge eagerly awaited his mysterious ally in the exact spot he had seen him about three weeks ago. He was not completely confident about how this individual was going to help him exact revenge but if it worked he would not only defeat his enemies but at the same time gain a powerful weapon. He hoped. He remembered the verbal lashings Amora laid on him when he returned beaten and unsuccessful and this was something he was not prepared to do twice. As he remembered he gripped his ax's handle tightly but soon found himself gasping in fright when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He spun around quickly, too quickly and swiftly for someone his build and size, only to be met with the hooded individual.

"Tense, are we not?"

Skurge let out a frustrated sigh and sheathed his ax. "You are late."

"My sincerest apologies, I had a difficult time approaching this location. Are you prepared?"

"Very. A thought has been troubling me. Why do you aid me in this? What have you to gain?"

"Because as of this very moment you and I have a common enemy and I would give three kingdoms in exchange of knowing the mighty Thor has fallen. I know my limits and for me to directly take on the thunderer and his merry band of fools would be suicidal. You need not worry; I shall provide aid from the shadows. You will certainly not be out there on your own."


	3. Covered Up With A Smile I've Learned To

**Note:****  
**Have a week of vacation starting today so I may fix more chapters and upload some more in the coming days instead of just waiting out the week. No promises though.

**Chapter 3:  
****Covered Up With A Smile I've Learned To Fear**

When Tony Stark set out to do something he was one to complete it even if it meant giving up an entire night to do so, of course this also meant that he would spend the better part of the day sleeping and ignoring the rest of the world. About two days ago he and Hulk encountered a heavily armored robot sent by AIM. Bruce did not want to admit it but having been tossed around like a ragdoll was sufficient enough to render him tired. The profanity, the scandal of the thought of the great Hulk being beaten to the point where he was physically tired was enough to make him turn again and go on a rampage and fight the US army and SHIELD just to prove he was more than capable of dishing out damage and taking plenty without so much as sweating.

Tony was angry as well; his suit had been completely trashed in the process. As he feverishly worked he had his battered suit in front of him as a reminder to complete this newest installation to the Iron Man suit. He wanted a beam with enough kick to topple the world's largest skyscraper with a single blow. He spent two entire days on it and was more than determined to use it on the next biggest threat.

All the while the rest of the group knew it was not a good idea to bother him. Thankfully during the last two days only mild attacks on the city got their attention. Even if it were a huge threat Tony would still wait until this new weapon was complete. The thought of being tossed aside like a doll and the battered suit which looked like it had been hit by a meteor drove him, not to mention he was not particularly fond of not winning. As he installed the new addition the door opened and Clint walked in. He saw Tony still up and about and wondered how long he had been up. "Please don't tell me you have been up for two days straight working on that thing."

"Yeap."

"You haven't slept at all?"

"During a delicate process last night I think I started to doze off and fell face first into my desk. I think I slept an hour and it completely threw me off track!" Tony shouted as he kept his eyes on the mechanism before him.

"Wow." Was the only word Clint could get out. He rubbed the back of his neck and examined Tony as he placed the weapon and clicked away at a laptop that was attached to the new suit via cable.

"So I guess all that's left is to test this guy out then."

"Nope, it's perfect as it is." Tony said as he still clicked away at keys while simultaneously switching his eyes from the laptop to the suit.

"Wait, wait, Tony, I think you should test it out first. If this is as powerful as you say it is I think it'd be a good idea to test it. Being a genius doesn't mean you won't make mistakes."

Tony paused and glared at Clint, his eyes as tired as they were and begging for sleep also begged for vengeance. His eyes met Clint's and as if telling him to look he moved his eyes to the battered suit and said, "Look at that thing. Next time AIM or AOL or whoever else decides that one of these is not enough we _will_ be overpowered. I admit that even with Hulk it would prove a bit much for him."

"Look, Tony, I know you're angry—"

"I'm very freaking pissed off. Now, if you have no further objections, _Mother_, I need to finish this in case someone decides that taking out Vegas is the newest summer pastime." Tony's sarcastic and irritated tone was accompanied by his right hand swinging in dismissive circles towards Clint which he did not appreciate at all.

There was no point in arguing with him but Clint still felt that something that was "capable of toppling even the world's biggest skyscraper with a single blow" should be tested out first. He was not alone in that thought for Bruce had voiced a similar concern. Sadly there was no time to try and change Tony's mind for Jarvis intervened.

"Sir, I'm afraid I have some bad news. It seems Las Vegas is under attack."

Both men quickly looked at each other and while raising an eyebrow Clint said, "Why couldn't you say it was going to rain super models?"

Skurge quickly made his way through the busy streets of Las Vegas, swinging his ax at everything that moved and did not move as well. He had already completely trashed about sixty cars, ten police cars and one ambulance. He was messy, loud and definitely trying to get someone's undivided attention. He made his way past Caesar's Palace and came across a group of people that were cowering from him, he slowly made his way towards them but before he could even lift his ax three cops yelled for him to drop his weapon and stand away from the citizens. A grave mistake on their part.

Skurge lunged towards the cops and like a bull charging he sent the cops flying. One of them landed on a car, another landed through a window of a shop and the third one, a young rooky cop, landed in the middle of the street. Skurge picked up his ax and as he laid eyes on the man he lifted his ax as high as he could and before planting it down on the cop's skull Skurge was sent flying from a tackle from Iron Man.

"Unless you want to end up paste for this guy's meal I suggest you go away. Far away." Tony said as he reached out a hand so the cop could get back up and run before Skurge could do so as well. The cop got back on his feet and ran the opposite direction passing by Hulk, Hawkeye and Thor. A sight that would normally render him speechless and quite possibly jumping and giggling like a little girl but the instinct to survive drove him.

"Boy, this guy doesn't know when to quit, does he?" Iron Man said in a snarky tone.

"Hmm, sound familiar?" Hawkeye said as he pulled back on an arrow and carefully aimed it at Skurge clearly mocking Iron Man for his stubbornness. All Iron Man did was chuckle and both lunged towards the raging Asgardian as he ran towards the Avengers. With the swing of his ax he sent Iron Man and Hawkeye flying. Skurge smirked but it was not to last. A loud guttural roar escaped the Hulk's throat and the familiar sound of crackling lightning emitted from Thor's hammer. Both charged as fast as they could but somehow just a single swing from Skurge's ax sent both of them back.

Iron Man helped Thor back on his feet and said, "Something's not right. That ax of his has more kick in it than last time. He's tossing us around like pebbles."

"It would appear to be so."

"I don't like it." Iron Man said as he put more power into the thrusters in his feet and flew directly at Skurge. Skurge stood his ground and at the very last and right moment swung his ax down on the charging Iron Man and as soon as he hit the ground Skurge lifted his right leg and with the entire weight of his body he stomped on Iron Man's head rendering him somewhere between dazed and unconscious. The fact that he was tired and had not slept for two days was not helping him at all.

The rest of the team charged as they saw Iron Man lying still and Skurge making his way towards them. Hulk jumped high up and while clenching both fists landed on Skurge. A cloud of dust and dirt and some concrete kicked up and as soon as it cleared they saw Hulk's fists had stopped as soon as Skurge held the ax sideways to prevent Hulk for reaching him. With his feet Skurge managed to push the Hulk back far enough to allow him to stand on his feet again and with a powerful swing sent the Hulk flying.

Unfortunately the Hulk flew towards Hawkeye and Thor. Hawkeye managed to quickly move out of the way but Thor had not been quick enough. Hulk's flying massive body hit Thor and now both were sent flying.

About fifty feet away Hulk landed on the concrete floor and on Thor as well. Hulk roared and in one bounce rushed back into the action. However, thanks to the initial blow and having been crushed underneath the Hulk Thor had the wind knocked out of him and Mjolnir away from him. A few people stared but soon found themselves to be screaming and running away.

Thor blinked slowly. His vision was impaired due to dust and the sun staring down at him not to mention a figure standing before him. A far smaller frame than the one he was currently under or the one he was fighting. A figure dressed in black clothing with hints of green, pale skin and piercing angry green eyes. Long black hair, as long as Thor's, and a black coat swiftly swung through the air and ever so conveniently a silver metal trident in the figure's right hand, the sharp end slowly moving to Thor's face.

Thor gathered himself and blinked faster to focus his eye sight to see who was hovering in front of him. As his vision focused his eyes went wide and his pupils shrunk as he laid eyes on the figure before him.

"Hello…brother…"

"L…Loki? How?"

"Hmm." Was the only sound Loki made as he stared at Thor. He partially turned to where the Avengers and Skurge were fighting and with his left hand waved while whispering, "Your task is done." Suddenly Skurge gasped as he felt that extra power and strength leave his body and at an inconvenient time as well. Hulk was charging right at him with clenched fists and a roar that escaped clenched teeth.

Loki then turned his full attention to Thor who still stared at him with a confused gaze. He made a motion to stand but Loki planted a foot on his throat and slowly shook his head. He proceeded to stand on him, and grabbed the metal trident with both hands and raised it as high as he could. Thor was now beginning to understand where this situation was going and it was definitely not good. As Loki lifted his arms Thor stretched his right arm out to summon Mjolnir, hopefully in time to stop the blow.

As he breathed in Loki quickly lowered the trident and aimed it right at Thor's chest certain that it would kill him and even if he was to be caught he would have finally done what he had wanted to do for what felt like a very long time now. Both Mjolnir and the trident drew closer, almost reaching their targets, close to impact. It would have been the completion to Loki's plan had it not been for a beam of white energy hitting the trident with enough force to knock it out of Loki's hands. Loki let out a snarl and looked to see the rest of the team aiming palms, fists and arrows at the sorcerer.

"Hands in the air slowly, basket case." Iron Man taunted as he aimed his right palm at Loki.

Unfortunately the situation between the brothers distracted everyone long enough for Skurge to gather his senses who all this time had been rendered unconscious due to well placed hits now that his ax lacked the extra power it had gotten from Loki. Skurge grabbed his weapon and saw Loki and the gears in his head twirled and he finally came to the realization that Loki only used him as bait to further his scheme to kill his brother. Fury engulfed him as he gripped the handle of his ax and ran towards the group.

He snuck up on Iron Man who was still aiming his right palm at Loki. He hit Iron Man with enough force to rock him out of rhythm and unfortunately caused the suit to turn on the new beam he had installed just that very morning. The same beam Clint and Bruce told him to test. The white beam fired in Loki's direction and as if on automatic Loki raised his hand to repel the beam but it still hit him and managed to knock him several feet from Thor who screamed.

"Shit!" Iron Man ran towards the brothers as Hulk and Hawkeye tried to subdue Skurge. Thor reached Loki who was on his back with both hands on his stomach and was squirming. Thor placed one hand gently on Loki's cheek and with the other grabbed his injured arm. Thor could feel him shacking.

Thor was talking but everything was garbled. Loki tried focusing on his brother but something did not feel right. He lifted his left hand so he could see and saw his hand was shattered. There was blood and a gash separating his pinky and ring finger from his middle finger. A gash that was splitting his hand in half. Blood dripped and he could see bone, torn and burned flesh, and Thor hovering above him holding his injured hand.

He felt himself shacking and gasping loud and he could see Thor with a panicking look wash over him. He was unsure of what was really happening but he was certain Thor was unharmed. Loki instinctively placed his uninjured hand on the warrior's left shoulder. Thor calmed himself and placed one of his hands on the hand Loki had placed on his shoulder. The thunderer gave his younger brother a smile or at least tried to. He felt the panic running mad within him and all he wanted to do was get his brother some medical attention.

A roaring scream could be heard as Skurge leapt into the air, ax in both hands and aiming it for Thor's back and as adrenaline rushed through Loki he shoved his brother to the side with all his strength but as he tried to move to do the same he failed to do so in time. The last thing Loki could recall was an immense amount of pain coming from his left shoulder and left hand. Practically his entire left side had been overwrought with pain. Loki also recalled hearing Thor screaming in a way he had never heard him scream before and suddenly it all turned black and silent.


	4. And Leave Me Here To Bleed

**Note:****  
**Since I'm in the middle of my vacation I plan on doing a heck of a lot of writing and since I'm ahead and almost through with chapter 7 I figured I'd upload 2 chapters tonight. Then I'll continue to upload the next chapter on Wednesday or Thursday if all goes well.

**Chapter 4:  
****And Leave Me Here To Bleed**

It had been three days since the incident at Las Vegas and for three days Loki had been kept in a chemically induced coma in the basement of Stark's California mansion. Thor fought the notion but he was outvoted by the rest of the team.

"_Just be glad I didn't turn him in!"_ Was the final word in the argument before Tony stormed out of the basement, which barely looked like one, it was a pretty sterile basement where Tony kept and organized past projects and some other trinkets he had not finished for various reasons. Of course, due to the current circumstances he had everything in the basement moved to Stark Tower. As soon as the team had walked in Steve objected to having what he called "a dangerous maniacal villain bent on blowing them all up" dragged into their living quarters. After almost two hours of arguing, hurtful words were exchanged, mainly between Thor and Tony, they came to the conclusion that it was best if they just looked after Loki only until he was recovered and after that he would be returned to Asgard to continue his sentence. They sincerely wanted no part of SHIELD involved.

Tony had one of the beds from one of the guest rooms brought down to the basement while Bruce and Hank were sent to gather the necessary equipment to treat the wounds. _"Nothing fancy. This asshole is not a friend and we don't owe him anything. Just tape him up and let him recover."_ Those were Tony's very words but somehow part of the group sensed he was contradicting himself. Why would Tony bother bringing in a villain who had just attempted to murder Thor in cold blood into his mansion? Why would Tony even bother letting said villain recuperate when he could easily send the Asgardian god back to Asgard and be done with it?

That very afternoon Tony drank himself into a drunken stupor and disappeared into his room for the rest of the night. The rest of the team carried on, mostly calmly due to the fact that Loki had been chemically induced into a coma so there was no chance of him suddenly waking up and going on a rampage and they were all well aware of the fact that Thor had no idea how to awaken his brother. Thor remained at his side for three days barely leaving the basement.

"Why do think Tony brought him back here? I can understand Thor demanding it, I mean; it _is_ his brother after all." Jan broke the awkward silence as she sipped some orange juice. Her, Hank, Bruce and Clint were in the huge kitchen mostly just sitting idly by. Thor had refused to leave his brother's side and Tony was still skulking around his room, quite possibly indulging in insane amounts of alcohol to lower his obvious stress and anger.

"I think…and this is by far the wildest thing that has crossed my mind, that Tony feels guilty." Hank observed almost unsure. He knew why he said it but there was a voice in his head second guessing him.

"Guilty?! Tony Stark feeling guilty? Are you nuts?" Clint immediately intervened clearly not seeing eye to eye with Hank's opinion.

"Think about it; look at his behavior ever since they came back from Vegas not to mention that both you and Bruce warned him to test the beam before taking it out on the field. He didn't test it and it malfunctioned and not to mention severely injured Thor's brother. Well, he couldn't possibly care for Thor's brother but it could have just as easily been one of us or if he had been pushed in a different angle he could have hit Thor or a civilian. Let's just all be grateful it was just him and he managed to survive otherwise we'd all be neck deep in god of thunder fury. Besides, even if his brother hadn't survived Tony is not a murderer. He knows it was just dumb luck this situation didn't escalade to apocalyptic proportions."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement. Still, Tony was taking it rather harshly and even if he would not openly admit it he was feeling guilty. Somewhere around 10:00 and 10:30 at night Tony got out of his bed and walked down to the basement. He was unsure of what he was to say if he found Thor there. When he reached the basement he could clearly see through the glass wall Thor was indeed sitting next to his brother. He swallowed hard, breathed in and sighed as he punched in the code to enter.

As the door hissed open Thor looked in the direction and closed his eyes and placed his sight back on his sleeping brother. Tony slowly began to walk towards the bed. He looked at Loki and then up at Thor who looked more upset than angry which to Tony was a bit of relief. An awkward silence fell between the two; it was so tense you could practically cut it with a knife.

"I don't blame you for what happened, Tony." Thor finally said ending the awkward silence. He looked up at Tony and a small smile appeared on his face and even if it helped the tense situation it was still a sad smile and Tony felt no better.

"I am so sorry, Thor, I should have tested the beam. Clint and Bruce were right. I let my anger blind me."

Blinding anger. That was something Thor could easily identify with since he himself had a very short temper and was prone to act upon it. He did mean what he said; he was not blaming Tony for all that happened and he certainly was not going to hold a grudge against his friend. Thor gently rose from the bed and walked up to Tony and gently hugged him and in turn Tony returned the hug.

"I want to thank you for looking after him and not just turning him over to SHIELD." Thor mumbled with a bigger smile on his face and no tension.

"It was the least I could do. Besides, if he's a huge asshole," Tony giggled as he pointed to Loki, "Those guys are even bigger assholes. At least your brother has the courtesy to just go ahead and be straight forward with what he wants but with SHIELD you never know what _is_ happening or _will_ happen."

"I agree."

"Listen, T'Challa sent me a package, it should arrive tomorrow. As soon as it gets here I will wake your brother up. We need to take some more x-rays anyways."

"Why is the arrival of the package so important?" Thor asked genuinely curious.

"Do you remember a while back that you let T'Challa study your "magic"?" Thor nodded obviously remembering and finding it amusing that Tony was still keen on not seeing magic as a logical explanation for certain phenomena.

"Well, baby brother over yonder is, said by you, to be the most powerful sorcerer in all "the nine realms" and even if he is physically unable to kick our asses he can still "Skyrim" us into fine dust without so much as even blinking. So, T'Challa was kind enough to bring us something of a chip to restrain him."

Thor kind of flinched at the word "restrain" but he had to admit that letting Loki loose and about without some control over his movements was a very bad idea indeed.

"Oh and I'm also fixing the door with a code so only _we_ can open the door on either side. For the love of all the good in this world, do _not_ give him the code. He'll be fine down here, good temperature, comfortable bed, full working bathroom complete with a shower over in that corner and yes, we will feed him. It'll be like having a puppy. A very maniacal, rabid, crazy puppy and you can come down here and play with him."

Thor chuckled at the comparison and made his way back to the bed to keep an eye on his brother but Tony held him back by one arm and said, "You've barely eaten or slept well in three days. Go upstairs and get something to eat, shower and rest. I'll keep an eye on him for you. Trust me, I won't harm him. I may just end up putting his hand in warm water so he can piss himself."

Thor burst out laughing, it was common knowledge that everyone in the mansion was prone to pulling pranks on each other and one of the earlier pranks done to Thor was having his hand placed in a bucket of warm water while he was asleep only to awaken to a soaked bed and sheets and a room full of giggling superheroes. It was harmless.

Thor placed a hand on one of Tony's shoulders in agreement and returned to the mansion's upper levels. He was indeed very hungry and very much in need of a shower not to mention sleep. He was sure to sleep well that night and was sure Tony would keep his promise of watching his brother for him.

As Thor left Tony turned around and looked at Loki. It was odd to see him just sleeping so calmly. He had not interacted with him much safe for that one time but it was odd to see him not screaming, hitting people, killing people or summoning aliens to take over the world. Tony shrugged and sat on the floor, it was cold but not so much that he could not bear it, besides, he preferred enduring the cold floor because he was not going to sit on the same bed that Loki was sleeping in.

He looked up and saw the mangled left hand crudely wrapped in bandages and a spark of guilt he tried so hard to suppress washed over him. He remembered telling Bruce and Hank to get some medical supplies from the medical room to patch him up. Hank suggested a cast due to the severity of the hand's condition but in his anger Tony refused to give Loki actual and proper care. His hand was not going to heal properly, not with how it was currently bandaged. He figured that after the results of the x-rays he would actually and properly tend to the wounds and place an actual cast. Tony was also concerned with the broken clavicle. Skurge's ax drove deep into Loki's shoulder and split the left side of the clavicle in half. His shoulder was also crudely bandaged but Tony would see to fixing it tomorrow.

A loud and alarming scream escaped Loki's mouth as he quickly sat up. His eyes were wide, pupils diluted and a cold sweat dampened his face and neck. He saw people in front of him and as sudden as he opened his eyes he closed them as he groaned loudly and with his right hand he grabbed his head and clenched his fingers around his hair. He could hear people talking but he could not really make heads or tails of anything being said, everything sounded like an echo that was too far away to properly understand, he could barely see as well, everything was blurry. He saw oddly shaped shades of colors blurring in front of him and suddenly a very bright light in front of his eyes.

"He's a little dizzy but that's common. Uh, Jan, hand me two of the migraine pills and that cup of water." Hank ordered as he lifted a small flashlight to Loki's eyes checking his pupils.

"What's his name?"

"Loki." Thor corrected.

"Loki, can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?" Hank asked as he held three fingers near Loki's face but Loki was still unable to focus or clearly see. Loki blinked a few times and gave out a soft groan as he closed his eyes and literally fell forward but Hank caught him and placed him back on the bed.

About an hour later Jan waved a smelling salt right under Loki's nose and after some twitching he finally fluttered his eyelids and slowly opened his eyes. He came to and saw Thor on his right side and several people he did not know and some he recognized surrounding him. He looked around and noticed he was in a bed in some strange place. He felt worry rising in the back of his head but did not ask, he could only really focus on the headache he had. It was immense and it felt as if someone had stuck a blade into his skull and left it there. Loki tried to move but he seemed to have a rather difficult time getting any sort of reaction from his left arm so he turned to look and saw some bandages on his left arm. He tried moving his arm but it was not responding, in fact, he was sure he could not even feel it. Hank loomed in over him and in both hands held what looked to be small cups.

"I suggest you take these because the headache you have, which, I can only imagine is pretty bad, won't go away on its own."

Loki stared at the man in silence as he studied his face searching to see if he was in danger or actually being helped. The headache was unlike anything he had ever felt before but he was not about to ingest anything he did not know. After several minutes he looked at the cup and then back up at Hank and slightly shook his head denying the pills. Hank lowered the cups but Thor grabbed the one containing the pills and looked down at Loki with a concerned look on his face.

"You _have_ to take this. It will ease some of the pain."

"Thor, he's not a child, if he doesn't want to he doesn't have to take them." A soft female voice protested behind Thor and Loki tried to locate the source but the muscular giant in front of him blocked his view.

"Jan, the headache from a chemical coma is not anything to be taken lightly." Hank informed her as he grabbed the cups and set them on the small table beside the bed. "Anyways, Loki, you're going to need to stand and walk some distance. We need to check how your hand and shoulder are doing. Think you can stand up?"

Without hesitating Loki shifted his legs under the cover and while supporting his weight with his right hand the cover slid off his chest and he saw he was not dressed in his usual garments. He had on what mortals would wear, a plain black t-shirt that was a bit big for his frame and some dark gray track pants and on his feet a pair of white socks. He lifted an eyebrow as he carefully examined everything and his eyes widened at the sudden realization that he had not changed himself and that someone else had done so. He choked back a stutter and a burning sensation invaded his cheeks as he looked at the group and then grabbed the shirt and slightly pulled on it to examine the fabric.

Steve got the message of what was going through his head and with an uncomfortable smile he said, "Well, we weren't going to leave you in those bloody tattered clothes, you know. Just because we don't see eye to eye it doesn't mean we're going to treat you like an animal." Loki looked at Steve as he spoke, still silent but his eyes were practically screaming in what seemed to be embarrassment. Steve's smile diminished and he placed a hand behind his head trying to think of something to say. Unfortunately Jan and Clint were not exactly the type to carefully choose their words and as far as Clint was concerned he was still owed some form of revenge for having been brain washed by Loki.

"Oh, come on, man. They had to clean the wounds somehow. Besides, don't worry. Thor, Hank and Banner were the ones that changed you out of your clothes. Oh, and Banner took back what he said, you ain't puny."

As if it were not possible enough to have widened his eyes more Loki did and after some chuckling Jan planted an elbow right into Clint's ribs. Loki narrowed his eyes and remembered he had been told he needed to walk somewhere so he stood up and took one step only to wobble and fall over. Thor and Steve rushed over to pick him up and the most cynical smile washed over Clint's face and with that he turned around and headed to the elevator to open it. Thor whispered something in Loki's ear and the group followed them to the elevator except for Jan and Steve who remained behind.

After the elevator doors clicked and they were sure they were alone Steve turned his gaze to Jan who grabbed a box and walked to the bathroom. She turned on the lights and began to dig out some things out of the box, bottle of shampoo, soap, toothbrush, tooth paste, two towels and other common house hold items found in bathrooms.

"Do you think this is safe?" Jan questioned as she tidied up the bathroom that had been clearly not used in what she could guess was months. "You know, nursing a supervillian god back to health."

"I don't know how to answer that. Can I be honest with you?" The look of conflict within Steve's face garnered Jan's full attention. She nodded and waited for what was troubling Steve. "Don't tell anyone, especially Thor. I have this almost sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach like, something's not right. You know, with him."

"…I'm not sure I'm following you…" Jan confessed.

"If this guy is so bent on killing Thor then why the heck did he save his life. Bruce told me everything that happened—I—I just don't know what to make of all this."

"What do you think it means? Has Thor mentioned anything?"

"No. No, even Tony said he was confused as to why Loki pushed Thor out of the way when he saw Skurge was going to maim Thor. Loki vowed to kill Thor. I thought he was up to something but when Clint asked Thor the same thing Thor said that even at his most depraved Loki would never endanger himself. He would have rather lost than to so much as get a scratch."

Jan and Steve remained silent. The words tossed themselves around Jan's head and even as he repeated them Steve also analyzed the last three days. He was not sure how he felt, on one hand he remembered all the chaos Loki had created about a year ago and now he saw as Bruce contemplated the circumstances of how Loki came to be in their basement. Steve was not what you would call a pessimist but even he had to admit he was guilty of thinking maybe Loki had intentionally gotten himself injured just to get close to Thor. Close enough to maybe come through with the promise of slaying his own brother.

"Whatever's goin' on with him, at least I'm grateful that he saved Thor's life." Jan stated as she smiled at Steve, most likely to ease his restless mind. They carried on with the given chores. Jan fixed the bathroom and Steve changed the bed sheets. He figured they were due to be thrown away because there was dry blood on it and as much as he or anyone would try the dry blood was not going to come out.

"Tsk, well, your hand is healing, slowly but your shoulder will take longer. Much longer." Tony informed as he placed the x-ray sheets above their heads and against the ceiling light. Loki looked at the sheet and then back at Tony. He had never seen an x-ray before but he was able to piece the situation together, slightly anyways. He saw the broken clavicle and the shattered hand and thought how easy it would have been to just use his magic to cure it almost instantly and as if Tony was reading his mind he looked at the man as he listened.

"Now, Thor tells me that you can use magic and healing this would be a piece of cake for you _but_ I regret to inform you that your hocus pocus will remain disabled to protect us." Tony walked over and grabbed Loki's right hand, at the notion Loki jerked his hand back but Tony raised both hands in the air and added, "Okay, fine, on the back of your neck you'll feel a small circular device. Go ahead, check for yourself." Loki moved his hand to the back of his neck and could feel a cold metallic item attached to his skin. His eyes narrowed, not in a hostile manner but in a confused way. He looked at Thor who lowered his gaze almost in shame and then sighed as he closed his eyes.

"_You'll pay dearly for that..."_ Loki thought as he felt the metal object.

"Technically speaking your magic is not disabled. You can still access it. Hell, you could even turn me into a ferret or Thor into a frog but that little party favor on your neck will register the energy and it will send two hundred million volts of electricity through your body and in case you're thinking "consequences be damned" that's enough to knock you out unconscious. Or make your heart explode. Not sure which one would come first. Messing with it will also trigger the device to go off." Tony walked to the other table and Bruce approached him with some scissors to cut away the bandages. They figured a cast could help with the hand but the shoulder did not require any surgery and honestly speaking none of them, safe for Thor, was about to rush to a hospital to treat a supervillian.

Bruce unwrapped Loki's hand and as he laid eyes on it he quietly gasped at the sight of it. His hand was partially deformed, some of it was burned and the bruising took most of his hand. Loki could swear it was a darker shade of blue and it rattled him and made him sick in his stomach. Tony looked at Loki and turned his gaze away momentarily, a clear sign of guilt.

Bruce proceeded to place the cast on Loki but for a brief few minutes he needed Loki to try and lift his arm. He warned him it was going to hurt but Hank suggested some acetaminophen but again Loki refused shaking his head slowly. Thor tried to convince him but it was no use. Loki slowly raised his arm but as he did so he felt a massive amount of sharp pain shooting across his shoulder and back. He began to breathe rapidly and in a ragged fashion indicating he was clearly in pain. Loki grabbed his shirt and bit down on his bottom lip and squinted his eyes and groaned very loudly. Bruce tried to go as fast as he could but he also wanted the cast to be placed on well. After what seemed like an eternity Bruce then lowered his arm but the sharp burning pain was still present.

Tony came back with a small bottle that rattled when he moved it in front of Loki. He looked at the bottle and then up at Tony to see what he had to say about that item in particular. Bruce continued to work on the cast and Thor came closer to hear what Tony was going to say.

"All right, junior, these are acetaminophen pills. They will make the pain go away but you can only take _one_ every twelve hours. No more than that or else you risk overdosing and that could pretty much render you dead." Tony then turned to face Thor and while holding the pills up he added, "Thor, make sure he takes them." After Tony confirmed that Thor had seen the bottle of pills and knew the directions he turned once again to face Loki and continued, "This will help numb the pain. If going by Thor and a serious injury of his can heal in half the time I would take to heal you should be fully recovered in about a month and a half."

Loki nodded silently still refusing to talk. He grabbed the pills from Tony and as he did they brushed their fingers together and Tony felt Loki's hand shaking. Tony looked at him with confusion. In a surprising move Tony placed his palm over Loki's forehead to check for something. He was not burning with a fever and he did not feel cold. Tony blinked a few times and turned to Clint to most likely give him some orders. Tony sported a serious look on his face and as he spoke Clint rolled his eyes in an obvious display of annoyance. Finally, Clint gave in and with a puff turned on his heels and walked away glaring at Loki.

Bruce finally finished the cast and replacing the bandages on Loki's shoulder and while throwing away the old bloodied ones he said in a gentle tone, "Don't get the cast wet at all. When you go to sleep just try your best not to move around a lot. We'll remove the cast as soon as your hand is healed. Okay?"

Loki again nodded silently and followed Thor and Hank as they escorted him back to the basement. Bruce continued to clean up and as the door closed behind Hank Tony turned to Bruce and idly said, "He's cooperating for the time being. Think it'll last?"

Bruce was slowly calculating his words trying his best to choose the correct thing to say but the circumstances they all found themselves in were anything but common. Eventually he sighed as he stood up and looked at Tony, a clear look of concern in his eyes. "I could go the obvious way and say that he will because he's wounded and, metaphorically speaking, tied down. However, I'd also be going against my gut instincts if I said we shouldn't prepare ourselves for the worst."

"I sent Clint to get some tranquilizers. I trust the device but if push comes to shove we might have to do something drastic in case the device or tranqs should fail." Tony turned around and slowly walked away but before walking out of the room he added, "Whether Thor likes it or not."


	5. Tell Me, Baby, What's My Name

**Chapter 5:**  
**Tell Me, Baby, What's My Name**

It would have been so easy to sneak in and just kill him. All he would have to do would be to stick to the shadows and stalk the corners and hug the wall. He did not even have to make it messy or noisy even if he wanted to. Even if it meant getting caught but he was still so tempted. The electronic pad did not keep a record of who went in or out and at what time. It was just far too easy.

Unfortunately, killing him would mean bringing down the wrath of Thor and the rest of the Avengers upon him and Clint knew it would be a fight he was not going to win. He lay in his bed staring at the ceiling contemplating the many ways he could easily kill Loki, he could stage it as a suicide. After all, had he not tried it before? Maybe this time he did it without failing.

Clint let out a frustrated sigh and turned to the window, his cell phone caught the moonlight that poured in. He was also tempted to make a phone call. A phone call Tony was dead set on not making. He figured Tony had every reason not to want to involve them but a part of him thought they were all being fooled by a pair of sad puppy dog eyes and one act of selflessness. As far as he was concerned Loki was playing them all. Again. Unfortunately none of them would dare do anything, even if Thor was an Avenger he was far stronger than all put together, with the exception of Hulk of course. If he wanted to let himself be fooled that was his problem and his alone. Clint was surely not about to let himself get tricked again and even at the risk of getting kicked out of the team or even evoking the wrath of Thor he was going to keep a very close watch on Loki.

That one phone call was very tempting indeed.

Jan had been assigned to bring breakfast down to the basement. Thor had happily helped in the kitchen to make one of Loki's favorite meals. Bruce had joined in to help as well if only because Thor was known to have a reputation of causing damage to appliances even under supervision. He had found it surprising to see Loki favor food that was common, it would have been ridiculous to assume he would consume entrails, blood of virgins or anything stereotypical of villains that were portrayed in the media, but he thought it nonetheless.

The team figured it would have been a good idea to send someone Loki had not seen before so delivering the meals fell on Jan and Hank. The idea behind that reasoning was that Loki would become agitated upon constantly seeing the team of heroes that defeated him a year ago, so in order to prevent any backlash Jan and Hank had been given said chore. Thor had been forbidden to even go near the basement.

Jan walked into the basement with a tray of food in hand and a sincerely wide smile on her face. She wanted to provoke a more positive atmosphere for the Asgardian. Jan had heard of Loki's actions in New York and while she found them despicable she kept thinking back on previous conversations with Thor and how he spoke of his brother, she had heard all about Loki's activities from a year ago and it practically sounded like something any villain would do but the way Thor spoke of him really got to her. The way his eyes would light up at the mere mention of how "great his brother was at sorcery", "how proud he would get whenever it was acknowledged that Loki was the most powerful sorcerer in all the nine realms", "how even when he was not adapt at the training Asgardians were accustomed to he somehow found a way to find something to suit him even when others pushed him in the other direction". She always loved hearing Thor talk about all the misdeeds and adventures they would participate in when they were kids. She got to the point where she thought that even when Loki turned his back on Thor he was still regarded in a loving manner. She called it a form of "puppy love", of course Clint would make rude and derogatory comments about incest and sexual tension to which some giggled, mostly Tony, but most frowned at Clint's comments. She was even aware of what had transpired in Asgard when Loki let go of the spear and fell into the abyss. She was also privy to the close kept secret that Loki had been adopted and of his true race, even what had happened when the All-Father had confessed. Jan pieced most of it together and figured Loki's behavior was due to the sudden identity crisis and while she, in part, understood she knew it was no excuse for his actions.

As Jan walked up to the bed she tip-toed as she saw Loki was still asleep and did not want to wake him. Jan placed the tray on the small table next to the bed and looked over the trickster curiously. She looked closer and saw some red spots seeping through the white t-shirt. The must have been agitated as it bled through the bandages and stained the t-shirt. Jan frowned and turned to the tray, picked up a napkin and walked to the other side of the bed. She leaned in to take a closer look at the injured shoulder and as she slowly and cautiously moved her head to the left her eyes locked with a pair of scowling green eyes. Jan gasped as she took two steps back and kept a close watch on Loki.

"I—I'm sorry." Jan stammered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Jan apology went unanswered safe for the scowling which had gone on without even blinking. Jan straightened herself, took a deep breath and conjured up her smile once more, "I have it on good authority that that's what you like to have for breakfast." She asserted while still keeping her smile and pointing to the tray containing the meal. He continued to scowl.

"Um, before I go, do you need anything else? I mean, your shoulder is bleeding, would you like me to get you another shirt?" Jan's inquiries went unanswered and before the Asgardian could do more than scowl Jan gave Loki another smile and nodded as she turned around to leave. As Jan closed the door and punched in the code in the pad Loki relaxed his body and leaned back on the bed still staring at the door.

"_Finally, some peace and quiet."_ Loki thought to himself.

Time had become irrelevant for Loki. He had no real idea of what exact time it was. The only indication was when either Hank or Jan went down to the basement to deliver breakfast, lunch or dinner. He cared little for time. He was bidding his time, gathering strength and planning. He was set on escaping and damn it all, if he had to kill in order to do so he gladly would. The acts of letting him heal, taking care of the injuries, treating him humanely and displaying false smiles would not spare the mortals from his wrath. No, these were enemies. Even if Thor's death would be reset for a later time he would have to focus on escaping.

On another day Jan's delivery had been delayed and Loki noticed yet he felt no need to complain, despite the cramping pains in his stomach due to the lack of nourishment he refused to touch any of the food that The Avengers sent down, not even the drink. He then wondered when the last time he had eaten something was. Loki's attention had diverted to a small figure running down the hall and quickly punching in the code. Utensils and pottery clanked as Jan rushed over to Loki and a worried look on her face caught his attention.

"I'm so, so sorry!" Jan panted as she placed the tray of lunch on the corner of the bed while she grabbed the breakfast tray, still untouched, placed it on the bed and then placed the lunch tray on the small table. "We had a little mishap. I promise dinner will _not_ be late. Uh, is there anything in particular you'd like? You know, to make up for the late lunch?"

Loki remained silent as he stared at Jan. He was studying her expression, her face, her eyes, her pupils, her body movement, it was sincere. She was not driven by fear but by something Loki could not place. No. No, he knew what drove this mortal but the bitter trickster denied even thinking it. If Loki acknowledged it, he would feel it, if he felt it, he would be exposed. Loki knew so well how being exposed could lead to injury. It was the kind of injury that no physical one could surpass in pain. Besides, he was a god of chaos. What good could come from feeling compassion and still laying claim to the title?

Jan opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed her mouth. As she turned to pick up the breakfast tray Loki noticed a cut along her left cheek and a bruise on her left arm. Jan looked at the trickster once more and smiled at him before leaving.

Twelve meals came to pass and Loki had noticed that the small female mortal had now taken full charge of delivering the meals. Loki found himself merely making the observation, not conjuring an accusation. He did not mind at all, he found Jan's presence tolerable. She doted on him and always looked and sounded truthful. Her inquiries of his well being and requests did not sound forced or false. However, when the woman came down to the basement to deliver lunch Loki had seen she was accompanied by Tony. A certain flux within Loki flicked and besides a flowing rage that swam through him upon seeing the man of the iron suit he also noticed it had not escaladed to its normal height. Jan and Tony walked up to the bed and Tony's expression, which had already been agitated from the day's events, became even more so when he saw the untouched plate of food. Tony grabbed the tray and Jan moved in to place the lunch tray on the small table while Loki kept perfectly still and watching the wall in front of him.

"That's your lunch." Tony announced. He had grown tired of seeing Jan, Hank and Bruce preparing an extra plate every single day, three times a day only to just have it sit in place without being touched or even sniffed at.

Loki rolled his eyes and looked to his right and saw the plate of food. Steamed broccoli, peas, baby carrots, a biscuit and chicken nuggets, Loki stared at the contents with very little amusement but as soon as he laid eyes on the chicken nuggets he actually raised an eyebrow and then looked up Tony.

"Oh, those are chicken nuggets." Tony answered as soon as he understood the connection between Loki staring at the plate and then back up at him.

"Unless Midgardian poultry has undergone a strange mutation I hardly think it appropriate to call these…nuggets…chicken." For the first time in fourteen days Loki spoke and it was to swiftly deliver a snarky remark to Tony, of all people. In the background a stifled snicker escaped Jan and Loki caught wind of it and looked directly at her as she covered her mouth while trying to keep her snickering as silent as possible.

"You're a real piece of work." Tony retorted. "Eat. You haven't eaten anything since you got here."

"And what is this fixation in tending to—"

"I'm not _you_! I don't kill people and I don't starve them either!" Tony interrupted Loki's question, surely it would have been a play on words to reach inside and rattle Tony as best as he could. There was a tense silence in the room as Loki and Tony scowled at each other but Tony wanted to leave the room before losing his temper. After a minute of intense scowling he added, "When I come back that plate had better be empty and its contents in your stomach and that glass of water too or so help me I will liquefy everything, hook an IV and shoot it all up into your veins." The genius' stress was obviously showing and in that Loki inwardly smiled. The only thing he had done since being woken up was refuse to eat and the man of iron was completely undone.

"Fucking 5 year old…" Tony murmured as he turned around to return to the upper levels. Jan followed close behind, though she remained quiet but observant.

Loki still refused to touch the lunch, even more so now that he realized that by not doing so it was agitating at least the millionaire and he knew, somehow knew, that if Tony and Jan knew he was refusing to eat it was definitely going to reach Thor's ears. However, he was stunted by the fact that Thor had yet barged in and tried to reason with him or try to reach out to him. Maybe the god of thunder had finally given up on his brother.

In the afternoon Loki's attention had been rattled by the usual ding of the elevator door opening, seconds after the steps and humming from the mortal could be heard as well. As soon as she was within visual range Loki took notice of the tray, it was full and her pep seemed to be far more accentuated. Jan set the tray down on the table next to the untouched lunch; as soon as she did she smiled at Loki and rushed out of the room. Loki's senses flared as this behavior was uncommon. Jan strolled back into the room carrying a liter of soda and two cups. She walked up to the small table and placed the previous tray on the chair and pulled the other chair in the room close to the bed. She then pushed the table carefully towards the bed. Meanwhile Loki carefully watched, he simply watched, admittedly curiously.

"Okay, I know it's none of my business but you haven't eaten anything since you got here. You _have_ to be starving."

Loki continued to silently stare while keeping his eyes locked on Jan. Suddenly it hit him like a ton of bricks and a tingle shivered over his body. This was the opportunity he was waiting for. This was how he was going to execute his escape. _She_ was going to be his way out. As the gears in his head clanked and gained speed with ideas he kept himself steady and expressionless.

"Look," Jan said as she sat down on the chair, "We haven't poisoned the food. We're not killers and…your brother would hunt us down, kill us and use our heads for trophies." Jan stared back while locking eyes with the Asgardian, allowing him to dig deep and search. After all, an excellent liar could spot a lie just as easily as he could fabricate one.

"Now, this is a little different from what you're used to. But believe me, this is amazing. They're called tacos." Jan announced as she pointed to the tray, "The food is cooked but you build it. You take the shell and add whatever you want."

In his move to establish some sort of trust with the Midgardian woman Loki looked to the tray to survey his choices. Inwardly Jan cried out in victory though her sudden smile gave it away and Loki caught it, in turn he inwardly smiled as he began to stitch together his plan. For now, all he had to do was gain the woman's trust.

"You can add chicken, beef, pork, some greens, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, beans, onions and sauce—huh; I could have sworn I brought some hot sauce as well…" Jan trailed off while holding a bottle of mild sauce but returned to the tray as she set it down. "Anyways, I also brought some soda. My personal favorite."

Loki kept staring, refusing to move an inch or make a sound. Jan gathered he still lacked trust so after pouring soda into both cups she grabbed a shell, put some beef, and followed by lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream and some sauce. She wasted no time in enthusiastically biting into the taco and rapidly engulfed most of it as a show of good faith, to show the food was not poisoned. Loki remained vigilant. Jan then took her cup of soda and drank from it all while looking back at Loki. Her display was absurdly obvious.

In that moment Jan's phone began to ring. She moved as natural as she could but when she saw who the caller was she groaned and muttered, "Tony, shut up, we're eating dinner." She muttered but she made sure Loki could hear and he did. Jan even went as far as turning to face the security camera in the room and held the phone high as she removed the battery. A bold and brave move on her part. After she placed the dismantled phone on the table she grabbed two taco shells and filled them. She grabbed one and pushed the other towards Loki. Loki was not the only one with a plan.

"We don't have to talk; we don't have to say anything to each other. Or we can. I can talk up a storm or I can be completely silent and sit here and listen to you. You can talk about anything or rant or tell me a story. I won't force you to do anything. But I do ask that you eat. Please."

This was completely unexpected and it threw Loki off balance. This mortal offered to lend an ear and to listen to whatever he wanted to say, she was willing to sit down in complete silence and to listen to him. Loki looked into Jan's eyes, they were begging him to pick up the shell and eat, and they were also sincere. Just like Thor's. He actually caved and slightly lowered his defenses. He reached for the shell with his right hand and finally began to eat. Jan sighed loudly as a smile formed on her face.

Jan and Loki shared a silent though comfortable meal for an hour. There were moments when he noticed the mortal staring as if waiting for him to speak. At any other moment he would have been agitated by her presence, the way she stared and the way she sat just a little bit too close but he was calm, unusually calm and many times over the hour he needed to remind himself that if he collapsed to the aching need to test her offer of listening he would lose the upper hand and his plan for escape would be forfeit. After they finished Jan packed both trays, smiled at Loki and made her way to the door. After the hissing of the door's release cleared the silence Jan was stopped by a calm voice from behind her.

"Thank you."

Jan had frozen for a minute but after the shock she turned around to face Loki and gave him a wider smile. He had spoken, he had spoken and it was not to hiss a snarky remark at her or to try to insult her. "You're very welcome. Good night, Loki."

"And to you as well."


	6. Gotta Look This Life In The Eye

**Chapter 6:  
****Gotta Look This Life In The Eye**

Every couple of days Hank accompanied Jan down to the basement to check on the injuries. No one else was allowed despite Thor's incessant demands and pleas. Today Hank entered the basement with Jan. She displayed her usual sweet smile on her face, a smile Loki grew to both hate and be accustomed to. There was a smile on Hank's face but it stank of caution and worry.

"Good morning, Loki!" Jan greeted cheerfully as she placed the tray next to the table.

Loki looked back at her and with a relaxed expression responded, "Good morning."

Hank's smile vanished and blinked rapidly as a look of shock replaced all emotion. While they all could see and hear the security feed from the camera they were never privy to hearing Loki speak while anyone else was in the room. All this time Loki had reserved his carefully chosen words for Jan only. This usually meant the team would bombard Jan with questions but she remained adamant on her answers. Hank relaxed his body and while Loki picked up on the male mortal's ease he continued to scowl at Hank. Hank remained strong and kept the tension at bay.

"Good morning! Don't mind me; I'm just here to check on your shoulder." Hank explained as he placed a medical bag beside Loki. "How's the shoulder? Any pain and discomfort?"

Ever since Loki had been woken up he never answered a single question even when it had to do with his injuries, no matter how bad the pain was. This time was no different; Hank's question was lost to the wind.

"It's okay," Jan reassured Loki as she bit into a pear, "He's only here to help. But…" Jan leaned in and continued her sentence in a whisper, "Hank won't be able to make you better again if you stay quiet."

Loki raised his defenses when Jan leaned in to whisper in his ear but as she spoke he lessened the tension until he was calm once more though he scolded himself for letting the mortal have sway over his defenses. Loki looked at Jan. He blinked twice as he lowered his gaze to look at the cast on his left hand.

"Do you mind if I take a look at your shoulder?" Hank asked once more.

Loki shook his head. It was a form of an answer but Jan felt a little disappointed. Hank widened his eyes as the corner of his mouth lifted to form a genuine smile. He then moved close and grabbed the blue t-shirt's collar and pulled it away from the trickster's neck. The black bruises had now turned a sickly faint purple, patches of green adorned the outer parts of the purple bruises. What caught Hank's attention was how swollen the injury had become.

"Tch, dammit." Hank muttered under his breath.

"What is it?" Jan asked.

"Loki, your shoulder is extremely swollen." Hank proceeded to slightly squeeze the shoulder to get a measure of the tissue and muscle. "Does it hurt bad?"

"Only when you touch it!" Loki hissed as he glared back at Hank.

"Sorry." Hank rapidly replied as he let go of Loki's shoulder and backed away. "Um, I'm gonna see about getting some medication for that. It'd be _really_ bad if you got an infection."

What neither Hank nor Jan knew was that Loki had purposely slammed his shoulder a couple of times against the bathroom wall, which was the only place that he could hide from the cursed security camera. The plan was to cause enough damage, no matter how badly it hurt, to his shoulder so that they would be forced to take him to the upper levels. When he had been taken up to the upper floors he made sure to memorize every corner of the second floor, at least the areas where he had been taken to. Once out of the basement he would have to disable Tony, take the remote of the damnable machination on his neck and destroy it and proceed to escape.

"Eat some breakfast and then I'll come back with the medicine."

What Loki had not counted on was the fact that Midgardians had a medicinal remedy for almost anything. He groaned inwardly as he saw his plan wither and die. Hank made his way out of the basement and Loki followed his every move quietly. He then turned his attention to Jan who had boldly sat on the edge of the bed holding a plate of food. Loki could have and should have asked her not to sit so closely, he should have demanded that she leave and let him eat his breakfast in peace. He should have been thinking of a new plan to escape, a less painful one. He should have not let the woman's unyielding smile calm him down. He should have killed Thor when he had the chance!

"Wanna talk about it?" Jan's muffled voice broke Loki's concentration. He focused his vision directly at her instead of through her and saw her eagerly stuffing a big chunk of a waffle in her mouth.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You look a little lost in thought." Jan pointed out as she handed Loki a plate of waffles.

"I am merely thinking." He sighed as he grabbed the plate. He smudged a little bit of butter on the waffles and proceeded to drown them in an obscene amount of warm syrup.

"Of what?" Jan carefully asked as she drowned her waffles in syrup again.

Loki let go of his utensils and as they clanked on the plate he looked up at Jan and said, "What do you hope to accomplish by this? Acting as an ambassador to Midgard's mightiest warriors? Have me won over by your actions of false compassion?!" Loki had finally gone to where he fought so hard not to go. His curiosity had gotten the best of him and defeated him and left him open.

"No." Jan's answer was short, precise and calculated. She finally reached a platform she was aching to reach for a while now.

"Then why bother conversing with me at all?!"

"Because no matter what anyone says, even _you_, your actions are a cover up." Jan spoke softly but her voice held a firm tone all while eating her meal.

"Get out!" Loki growled as he scowled at Jan, for the first time in long days.

"Look here, World of Warcraft," Jan chided as she put her utensils down and locked her eyes on Loki's. "I'm not your brother. He may be a powerful god but at the end of the day he's a freaking pushover. I'm _not_."

Back in the third floor where the rest of the team was overlooking the footage on a screen that Tony had brought up Thor cleared his throat loudly as he crossed his arms over his chest and firmly stated, "I will have words with Janet."

"Sshhh!" Tony shushed the elder Asgardian while keeping both eyes on the footage and his hands tightly clamped on the remote in case Loki decided to attack. Hank kept his eyes on Jan and his mind ticked away carefully assessing what she was doing and saying. Carefully retracing her words and Loki's reactions, carefully understanding where Jan was leading Loki.

"You dare assume to know anything about me, mortal?" Loki hissed as his temper was slowly rising.

"I know _plenty_, sweetheart." Jan paused as she set her plate aside and sat closer to Loki, always making sure to keep her body language calm and her tone soft yet firm and sure. "All your brother ever does is talk about you. Loki this, Loki that, Loki, Loki, Loki, Loki, Loki. The rest of the team gets assaulted with stories of when you two were kids. The others don't care but I like to listen to stories about both of you." Jan had been partially truthful. Ever since Thor had taken a semi-permanent residence with The Avengers, since they reunited the team once more, he had hardly spoken about Loki so freely. However, when Jan and Hank had joined the team her curiosity towards the Asgardian had sparked Thor to talk about his home, the realm, the creatures within it, the people, his history, she asked about the incident in New York, she asked about his family. In short, the stories she had referred to had been ignited because of _her_ curiosity and in turn learned plenty from the elder sibling.

"Why?" Loki shot off a genuinely confused look.

"You guys lead interesting lives. I mean, you can use magic, right?"

"Yes." Loki answered. He felt himself relax and while part of him fought to keep the mortal at bay another part just overthrew his senses and ushered in the calming.

"See? That's amazing! You _have_ to promise me that you'll show me before you leave. Thor always mentions that you're the most powerful sorcerer in all the ten realms."

"Nine. Nine realms." Loki corrected and wondered why in the name of Hel he was suffocating the raging voice within him and entertained the notion of conversing with the mortal, yet he continued.

"Sorry." Jan bashfully squeaked as she turned her gaze sideways momentarily while dropping her head slightly.

"It is all right." Loki reassured her. His tone had taken a calm and pleasant ring to it.

"Can't remember everything that Thor has told me…but he _has_ told me a lot!"

"_His_ side of the story no doubt." Loki snapped back. He had chosen his words carefully in order to dig out what Jan knew.

"So tell me yours." Jan had noticed Loki's tone turn sour right there so she moved in a little quicker to subdue the bitterness and keep him at a steady pace.

"And be subjected to your judgment and mockery? No!" Loki's defenses were up again.

"A tiger doesn't lose sleep over the opinion of sheep." Jan quoted quickly.

A quiet gasp escaped from Loki and Jan kept her friendly misdemeanor about her even though she panicked for a fraction of the moment. She had lost him to his own rage but quickly knocked it aside with the quote. The proverb was lost to him but the meaning hit him in the chest as hard as Mjolnir hit. Jan watched as Loki's eyes changed their intensity to a mild gaze and his figure slightly slumped.

"I know _of_ you but I don't _know_ you. I can't sit here and judge you, not when our very own team is made up of people with sordid pasts like Tony's, Bruce's or even Clint's and Natasha's. Why does the merchant of death, the destructive force, the hired killer and the once villainous archer get to tell their story and be worshipped as heroes? Why are _their_ pasts so easily forgotten? Why can't the younger prince who had been promised a chance at the crown but never stood a chance be heard?"

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence safe for the ragged breathing coming from Loki. He lowered his gaze and pushed the plate away from himself. He could not believe what was happening. Someone was willing to sit down and listen to what he had to say instead of demanding explanations.

"Why such emphasis on my side of the story?" Loki finally spoke up although he made it a note to keep his gaze down. He really did not want to see Jan's smile. It was always so genuine.

"Hank is a pacifist. Instead of fighting he'd rather ask why and find a better solution. Not me. I'd rather jump in and kick some ass." Jan stopped for a moment. She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes and as she exhaled she opened them and looked at Loki even though his head was lowered and his eyes closed. "Hank always says there are two sides to every story. It isn't always what a person has done, sometimes it's why. Like suddenly discovering that your whole life was a lie and suddenly all the pieces to your puzzle made sense. You suddenly realized why everything with you was different."

"Please leave…" Loki whispered as he kept his eyes tightly shut and tried to calm his breathing, "Please…"

Jan felt she had pushed her boundaries and luck far enough for one day yet she felt an immense victory was won. Not only did she manage to get the Asgardian god to open up but she carried out an actual conversation with him and best of all she knew his rage had taken a backseat. She nodded and picked up the plates and tray. As she began to walk towards the door she turned around and with a smile had her final say on the matter.

"Whenever you need me to shut up and listen just let me know. You don't have to, I won't force you. But the choice is there and it's yours to take."

"Tony, I'm borrowing your chess board." Jan announced as she walked past Tony with the board game, a liter of soda, a bowl of popcorn and two cups.

"Che—you don't know how to play chess." Tony noted curiously.

"Well, yeah, but he said he would teach me."

"Who?" Tony asked though his tone was more of an interrogation, he knew of whom Jan spoke of. The board game plus the snack and drink was a giveaway. Hank was not present at the moment, so it was obvious that she was not about to indulge in a game with him.

"Bill Clinton." Jan answered sarcastically. "Who the heck do you think?"

"No, out of the question!" Tony ordered as he crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at Jan.

"Tony, the guy just sits there all day, every day. He has to be bored out of his mind!"

"He is in there for a reason, Janet!" Tony barked as he pointed down with his left index finger.

Jan furrowed her eyebrows and slightly glared at Tony. She was so close to breaching that stone wall, she was so close she could practically taste her end goal. She was aware of the danger and more than ready to tackle this challenge she had bestowed upon herself. After a minute Tony loosened his posture and sighed deeply. "He's dangerous, Jan."

"I wasn't asking for permission." Jan boldly stated as she brought the items in her arms closer to her body and continued, "Luckily for li'l ol' defenseless me he has a broken hand, a broken clavicle and has a device injected into the back of his neck which stops his magic." Tony did not appreciate the defiance much less the sass in her last few words.

Bruce had been standing a few feet away from Tony and Jan and heard the conversation. As he walked towards them he grabbed his glasses to clean them with a cloth he always carried in his pockets and injected his opinion. "You know, I think it wouldn't hurt to keep him busy." As he stood next to Tony he turned to Bruce and glared at him and an unspoken 'you're not helping' was exchanged between them. Bruce shrugged slightly as he smiled. "Gives him less time to be angry and to plot."

Tony, Bruce and Steve always got together in the evenings to check the security feed and made sure to assess every word spoken between Jan and Loki and Hank, whenever he would head down to check on the injuries. Bruce was the first to pick up on Jan's recent activities and while he never spoke aloud about it he wanted to let Jan continue to see where it would land them all. Steve had picked up some of Jan's phrases and asked Tony but to Tony it seemed like mindless chatter. A bad guy was nothing more than a bad guy; it did not matter the circumstance of their start or reason for it. He thought Hank's behavior was finally rubbing off on Jan. While Tony passed it off as a 'poor me circle jerk' Bruce informed Steve on what he thought was going on, though he had no proof since Jan did not speak about Loki except to Thor.

"Go to your meeting, Tony." Bruce said as he placed a reassuring hand on Tony's shoulder. "I'll have Jarvis boot up a video feed to keep an eye on her."

"Fine." Tony finally conceded. He handed the remote to Bruce and added, "I know Jan can handle herself but if he moves fry 'im."

The triumphant smile on Jan's face could not have been brighter. She grabbed the materials firmly and set off towards the elevator and Tony, who was already late, walked to the front door to attend his meeting. Bruce walked up to the third floor where the living room was and took a seat as he asked Jarvis to show him a video feed of the basement to keep a close watch on Jan but to see where she was taking her plan today. He saw as Loki reacted surprisingly to seeing Jan between meals. Bruce asked Jarvis to hike up the volume and keep an open ear on the voice patterns and facial movement, especially body movement of the Asgardian. Surely enough Loki agreed to teach Jan how to play chess. As they set up the board Loki explained how each piece moved and also shared the fact that Asgard had learned the game from Midgard. Bruce smiled as he watched, at first Loki's movement was stiff and reserved but the more Jan engaged him in conversation the more his movements loosened and his voice actually grew louder. As they started the game Bruce saw as the trickster managed to bear through Jan's numerous mistakes and incessant questions. Whenever he made a move he stopped to explain to Jan why he made said move and how else he would move said piece. As the minutes passed Steve, Hank and Thor joined Bruce in watching the video feed.

"Do pay attention, Janet. I hate having to repeat myself." Loki instructed as he moved his knight.

"I _am_; I just like hearing your voice." Jan baited. Over the course of time she noted he took to being complimented very positively.

This caused Loki to look up. He looked at Jan straight in the eyes and rolled his eyes, clicked his tongue and slightly shook his head. Jan, on the other hand, chuckled and smiled as she slapped his knee.

"Don't roll your eyes! It's true. In fact, no offense to your brother but you're better looking than Thor. Your eyes are prettier."

Loki chocked on popcorn and on the third floor Bruce spat out the tea he had made for himself, Hank had opened his eyes wide and cleared his throat loudly, Steve tried to hold back a chuckle while Thor had no reaction. There was no reason for him to have a reaction. Needless to say the trio continued to watch. After drinking some soda to clear his throat Loki gave Jan a very confused look.

"What? Blonde men? Ick!" Jan honestly answered as she moved her rook completely exposing her king. Loki continued to look at the board and moved his tower.

"You are the first to say such a thing so directly."

"Yeah, right."

"Even in that aspect Thor was the favorite."

Jan's smile diminished but she kept a friendly disposition, a quiet mouth, open ears and eyes glued on Loki's as he began to talk. Finally taking up her offer to bend her ear and let every frustration he had out into the air and out of him.

"I love Asgard, it is my home but unless you take up steel and armor you are deemed worthless in the eyes of its people. Imagine yourself living in a society where all of your talents, hard work, and hours upon hours of study to perfect your craft were sneered at. Nothing you ever did was good enough because you are the son of one of the greatest warriors any realm has ever seen and my brother," Jan took immediate notice to how Loki switched his pattern of speech, "followed in his footsteps while I toyed with trickery as they taunted. Our father always reminded _both_ of us that we were both born to be kings and yet Thor was chosen. That was just another reminder of the failure I was."

Jan swallowed hard; her smile and sunny disposition had completely vanished as she began to put together this complex puzzle. However, she kept her eyes on the Asgardian and kept listening.

"A lifetime spent trying to catch up but the closer I would get the less I could reach. I was constantly compared to Thor and reminded that my brother was better by _his_ friends, our father and all else. And to make it worse…I grew to hate the only living being in all the nine realms that loved me unconditionally. The love was mutual…once."

"Once?" Jan asked. This was her chance to find out exactly how much hate he had buried within himself.

"Yes." Loki answered. He looked up at Jan with glazed eyes and was taken aback when he saw thin streams of tears racing down her cheeks. He continued to stare at Jan, shocked to see her reaction had reflected his current state. He had not expected Jan to have that reaction. His breathing quickened slightly as he tried to calm the emotional storm brewing within him. In a surprising move Loki stretched out his right hand and wiped away the tears on Jan's cheek. He noticed she had not moved away or showed any fear as he did so.

"Sorry, some of the things Thor told me make sense after what you just said." Jan wiped away the rest of the tears and cleared her throat. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure." Loki answered in a lethargic tone.

"Do you _really_ hate your brother or was he just the easiest target to aim your hate and anger towards?"

"Easiest target." Loki's answer was surprisingly fast. "My real anger was towards Laufey for leaving me to die, Odin for never telling me the truth and holding the crown high above my head when it was never meant to be mine, Thor's friends for comparing me to his greatness and their endless mockery. Of course I grew bitter and jealous, only a fool could have expected another result!" Loki's tone turned aggressive and while it did frightened Jan she kept a steady stance and kept her eyes on Loki's even as tears rolled out of his eyes.

"When Father finally revealed the truth of my parentage he—he confessed to having taken me to form some…sort of an alliance with the Jotuns. He saw me as a damn opportunity! Had he not had his wits about him that very moment he and his army would have kept walking and would have gladly left me out there to die! Time and time again I wonder if my so called father ever really loved me at all!"

Jan had to admit that she had not been prepared to witness a Norse god break down in front of her. She kept staring and fought back the sensation to reach out and hug him or place a hand on his shoulder or show some form of comfort because he needed this. He needed to let every sealed frustration out. Deep down she felt he was not lying but the hate and heartbreak Loki was expulsing clashed with the way Thor spoke of Loki and how he felt. Everything was crashing and Jan, who never bore witness to any of it, was lost.

"You're angry at your father." Jan stated. "Did you ever try to talk to him about this?"

"Once, yes." Loki answered though Jan felt he was pushing himself to say more.

"What happened?"

"Every so often Odin has to succumb to the Odin Sleep to maintain the realms. On the day he confessed he so conveniently fell into it without a proper explanation."

"He had control over when to fall into the sleep?"

"Odin had been putting it off for some time, he could have held on a little longer. He owed me an explanation!"

Jan decided to throw the careful approach away and went directly to the point. The tears rolling down Loki's face, the subtle quiver of his bottom lip and his eyes diverting into every direction were evidence that she was close. "About why he took you?" Jan asked dryly. She tried not to let her own emotions cloud her words.

"His explanation for that was to unite the kingdoms through me but since Thor had caused a diplomatic catastrophe that very evening before being exiled there was no further use of me!"

"Wait, how was your dad gonna unite the kingdoms?" Jan displayed a curious look but deep down she knew exactly why she was asking those very questions.

Loki opened his mouth to speak but no words escaped him. He did not know how to answer Jan's question because he did not know how the All-Father had planned to use him. He had formed his own theories but nothing latched on correctly.

"What were you so afraid of?"

"Watch your words, mortal." Loki hissed.

"Fine, let me tell _you_ something that _you_ don't know about _you_. You have low self-esteem, you're extremely talented but you have passing doubts because those doubts were planted by others, you're sensitive, too sensitive, therefore you need constant reassurance, you've been bullied, never felt good enough so you tried to excel to master levels in everything you took interest in."

"Stop it." Loki interrupted as he scowled at Jan but she seemed unfazed.

"You felt everyone treated you different and while they are at fault you are too, but you don't want to take any responsibility. Your family's race and the race you really are have always hated each other and when you found out that you were the so called enemy you crashed and drowned in fear."

Loki lowered his gaze and gasped as he tried to keep the tears from falling but it was useless.

"Loki, look at me." Jan said and as Loki did she continued. "Answer as best and as honestly as you can. Don't lie or so help me, I'll hit you. What were you so afraid of?"

"On the day of my brother's coronation I snuck three frost giants into Asgard to ruin it and hold my brother's rule at bay for a bit longer. He wasn't prepared but none would believe me. To whomever I voiced my opinion on the matter they would ignore me and pass off my words as envy. It was true, I was envious but he was not prepared…" Loki paused for a moment.

"Go on, honey." Jan encouraged him.

"Asgard has many enemies and I could have chosen any other but I chose to use frost giants because they are so hated by Asgardians that it would have been the insult to Thor's injury. When I found out the truth it turned out that…I was the enemy all along. If Asgard and Jotunheim had gone to war what would Asgard have done with me?"

"Do you honestly believe your mom, your brother and you dad would have done anything to hurt you? Even if your dad sounds like he's emotionally unavailable I still doubt that they wouldn't show you any love. Even now. Don't you think? And don't lie because I'll hit you."

Loki actually chuckled at Jan's comment and Jan smiled and danced inside. Finally, she managed to get some of the pressure off of Loki but she still pressed on.

"I honestly don't know." Loki answered honestly, not because of the threat of physical violence. If he was to be honest a second time he was still unsure as to why he indulged Jan's obvious play. It had been obvious to him from the start and while he gave information, some he considered useless, at the start he did notice some form of relief coming from the act of having someone just listen to what he had to say. He was sure Jan had her reservations about him but he cherished the fact that Jan had kept a serious yet approachable state. He had tried to slow down to a halt but the words had chosen to escape and his sway over them had been cut.

"Okay…who knew that you were a frost giant?" Jan asked as she diverted her eyes to the board, she moved one of her few remaining pieces. The move was to remind Loki of the game and to ease his mind off of the incredibly sensitive question, allowing him to keep focus on something, to urge his physical state to move in a non-violent way while the question brewed in his mind.

"Odin and Mother did, as far as I know." Loki moved his knight.

"So your brother never knew." Jan stated as she kept her eyes on the board but slightly moved her gaze upward and saw Loki looking over the pieces.

"Don't be absurd, if he had known he would have bludgeoned me with that cursed hammer."

"Before it all went to hell and back, what was your brother like around you?"

"Overprotective to say the least, even at a young age he always kept a close eye on me. He always was great company…until his need to boast would consume him, his arrogance was limitless." Loki continued to swiftly move his eyes across the board. He placed his right hand over his mouth and gently swished his eyes from side to side. Finally he inhaled and as he moved a pawn forward he added, "Making him laugh and smile was so easy."

"When did he find out?" Jan had noticed the bit of information he freely divulged and focused. He had either said that because he knew it was what she wanted to hear or he genuinely recalled a moment in his past where he and his brother had gotten along. Jan would choose her words carefully as soon as he answered that last question.

"I am not sure when exactly. I do know that Odin did tell him. In fact, I had asked him but he never answered yet the look in his eyes told me, there had been no need for words. He kept chasing after me telling me to run back home. Home…as if returning to Asgard would have done any good. During our entire escapade he kept trying to convince me to return home. Even to this day he refuses to stop calling me brother, stubborn oaf." Loki motioned his hand over the king, he had set up his pieces for that one moment, in one swift move he could have overtaken Jan's king and won the game, both games, but he hesitated. The mortal had actually ensnared him. After hovering his hand over the king for a few seconds he moved his hand towards his bishop and moved that piece instead.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Sounds like your brother doesn't love you anymore." Jan said as she moved her queen and moved in to gently knock off Loki's exposed king.

"No, you misinterpreted my words, I never said he s—" Loki froze; the shock of the realization which caused him to cease movement was undeniably well played on Jan's part. Loki stared at Jan with a look of shock that made her smile. The expression slowly melted off Loki's face as he analyzed exactly what he was going to say and why.

"You won." Loki said as he looked up and stared at Jan.

Jan slowly turned her head sideways curiously. Her smile was still displayed on her face but she remained silent, she was unsure of what Loki had meant.

"You won." Loki repeated only this time he motioned towards the chess board.

"No way…" Jan said incredulously as she covered her mouth with both hands. "I won?"

The right side of Loki's mouth actually lifted by a smidge as he nodded and Jan began to make a silly dace while singing 'I won' repeatedly. Bruce and Hank analyzed the play over in their heads and looked at each other. It had been an unspoken gesture on Loki's part that had definitely not gone unnoticed; while Steve did not fully grasp the entirety of the situation he studied the expressions on both of their faces and heard every word carefully. Something had definitely happened and the fact that Hank and Bruce were showing signs of excitement towards it left him relaxed. He would later sit down and ask Bruce to explain the event thoroughly. Steve then looked to Thor and his smile vanished, there was a terrible and sad look upon the thunderer's face and as Steve kept staring at his teammate Hank and Bruce followed suit.

"Thor? Are you okay?" Bruce asked the elder Asgardian but Thor rose to his feet and left without a word.


	7. The Blood We've Been Spilling Will Bleed

**Chapter 7:**  
**The Blood We've Been Spilling Will Bleed Us Dry**

The days continued in a blissful, almost programmed manner. Jan brought down the meals to the basement and stayed to talk with Loki and eat. Loki opened up more and more and his mannerisms and attitude slowly changed. With Jan around he was relaxed, calm and easy going. Having proven that, at the moment, he was not a threat Hank began to behave as Jan did and the group found Loki had also taken to being relaxed with Hank. Loki even spoke to Hank and on occasion indulged in a chess game or two.

A week later the duo experimented with Steve and Bruce. As Jan and Hank went down to the basement Steve and Bruce went along. At first Loki was cautious and his responses were brief but he kept a calm manner about him. This progress was welcome and it seemed that the tension within the mansion diminished. Tony was still careful, Thor seemed misplaced and hurt, but he chose to keep his feelings bottled. Clint was outright angry and did nothing to hide it. No one scorned him for it; he had every right to be angry. The team, except for Tony, gave Clint a wide girth whenever there was mention of Loki. It was still a dangerous situation but it was manageable once most of the tension dissipated.

"This is exactly what we needed! Some cake, some ice cream to make things around here a little bit more cheery! We need more Cheetohs, Tony!" Jan screamed as she swirled around a big piece of cake slopped with ice cream. Tony laughed as he saw her hungrily eating away at the cake. She was right, with the tension of having Loki locked up in the basement and Thor acting like a heartbroken child who lost his favorite pet and Clint furious half the time because the rest of the team decided to take care of someone he absolutely hated it was about time the team got together to loosen up and Steve's birthday was just the excuse they needed to do so.

When Tony returned with the snacks he looked to Jan and with a smile said, "He's been behaving well enough, grab a piece of cake and bring it down to the basement. You know, before those two bottomless pits decide to eat the whole thing." Jan looked to see Thor going for his third piece and Steve trying to steal it from him. He smiled and nodded to which Jan rushed up to the victimized cake and fought Thor and Steve for a piece. She swatted away large arms and hands armed with sporks and plastic plates. Tony laughed and Hank joined in when he saw Jan trying as best as she could to steal away a piece.

When she finally managed to steal away a piece she turned to walk away but Thor pulled her back gently and said, "Thank you for the kindness." A look of appreciation washed over his face when she told him who the extra piece was for. There was still an essence of sadness within him but he masked it well.

"I'll be back in a minute, guys." Jan announced to the group as she grabbed two plates full of cake and ice cream and made her way to the elevator. Clint caught a bit of the conversation between Tony and Jan and he felt his anger toppling. It was bad enough that the majority of the group was now socializing with the villain but now the only person who seemed to agree with him had now offered to make a gesture of good will towards him. He decided on keeping calm for the moment and letting Steve enjoy his day; he opted for speaking to Tony the following day.

"Hi!" Jan cheerfully greeted Loki as she stood at the door and waved.

Loki looked up and greeted her with a smile. As Jan made her way in he diverted his eyes to the plate in her hands and curiously noted on it. "I've already been given supper."

"I know. It's cake, it's Steve's birthday. Tony thought you might enjoy a piece so he told me to bring you some." Jan proceeded to sit next to Loki and handed him a plate as she began to eat her piece of the cake. "Chocolate cake with butter pecan ice cream and soda."

"Butter pecan? Can't say I've ever indulged in it." Loki admitted as he grabbed the plate and set it on his lap and stared at the ice cream. He shrugged but dug right into it while Jan watched closely. Her eyes watched every gesture and motion and patiently waited to see his reaction.

"Well?"

"I must admit it _is_ rather appetizing." Loki concluded as he finished off the last few bites. "The captain's birthday, you say?"

"Yeah, you should have seen the cake. Tony filled it with lit candles so it looked like a fireball! Steve just sat there shaking his head and Bruce was saying Steve wasn't _that_ old!" Jan proceeded to laugh and in turn Loki smiled. It was not due to the anecdote; it was the way Jan behaved around him, like Thor did once so long ago. To finally see it again was bittersweet.

"Speaking of that," Jan said while giggling, "When's _your_ birthday?"

Loki lowered his gaze to the empty plastic plate and Jan's smile quickly vanished, she thought she had touched a subject of a delicate nature and began to worry. Loki then lifted his gaze and his sly smile made Jan exhale in relief. "Age is of no consequence to a god, my dear."

Jan let out a laugh and tapped Loki on his right knee. "How come I knew you were going to say that? So what, you don't know how old you are?"

"Old enough," Loki answered as he chuckled. "But if you insist on knowing I'm fi—"

Loki stopped his sentence short and stared. Jan noticed his smile had vanished and his eyes had gone wide and Jan could swear he had stopped breathing. He was not staring at her, he was staring past her. Jan quickly turned around and her eyes also went wide as terror swept her. Without a second thought she stood up and ran for the door. On the other side of the door was Thor with a blank expression and a hunched posture.

"Thor, what are you doing here? You know you're not supposed to be down here." Jan whispered.

"I would like to have a word with my brother."

"No, Thor, you know you can't. Go back upstairs!"

"Let him in." Loki intervened. "He can have his say and then he can leave me be." Loki's tone had turned as sour as his gaze. Jan sighed loudly but stepped aside as she punched in the code and let Thor step inside. Jan immediately regretted the decision. Thor slowly walked towards Loki but as he drew closer Loki stopped him.

"That's close enough."

That hurt Thor. Loki had allowed Jan to get close yet he, who was his brother, could not be permitted close. Thor stood silent for a long time, he kept repeating the same words in his mind yet as the storm of words intensified he was left dumbstruck over how to express himself, of what to say first. He revisited the events of New York and then of Asgard before and after his exile.

"If you are not going to speak then remove yourself!" Loki barked loudly as he continued to press his glaring eyes over his brother.

"I heard the conversation that you and Janet had some time ago." Thor whispered as he lowered his gaze.

"What?!" Loki screamed and Jan flinched. "That conversation was private, you oaf! It was between _me_ and _her_ and you _dared_ to invade that privacy?!"

"I am sorry…" Thor whispered.

"You are sorry? You…are…sorry? Loki hissed in a whisper as he rose from the bed and walked over to Thor.

"Brother, I was not aware of how alienated you felt. If you had told me—"

Loki shoved Thor with his right hand while snarling curses at Thor. He was visibly shaking and seething, an almost exact replica of his state when Thor had confronted him in the Bifrost when he had learned of his plans to destroy the Frost Giants. Thor dared not to move, he did not want this to turn violent, he merely wanted to talk, however Jan grabbed Loki by the shirt and pulled him back.

"Loki, no! Your collar bone is broken and so is your hand and your stitches could easily rupture. Don't do this."

Loki never removed his eyes from Thor's; he was seething, breathing heavily, his nostrils were flared and his eyes narrowed. Both siblings stared down at each other though Thor merely stood there like a scolded child staring back while Loki looked ready to attack. And he did. Loki took a swing and hit Thor in the jaw. It had been hard enough to twist Thor's upper body and as soon as Thor straightened himself anger took over and Thor tackled Loki.

"Guys, no!" Jan shouted as she moved out of the way.

Thor pushed Loki against the wall squeezing the air out of his lungs upon impact. Loki answered with a body shot and as soon as Thor knelt from the daze Loki took the opportunity and kicked Thor on the left side. Most of the impact had been delivered by the shin and Thor cried out as he fell to the side. He stopped his fall with his right hand and pressed his left hand on the affected area as he groaned. Loki moved in to deliver another kick but Thor moved out of the way and in turn swept his leg and caused Loki to fall hard on his back. Loki cried out loudly as he gripped his shoulder while heaving. Thor moved in and kicked Loki while he was down and distracted. Thor delivered a second kick to Loki's ribs and as he pulled his leg to deliver a third kick Loki grabbed Thor's grounded leg and pulled as hard as he could to throw Thor off balance. It worked, Thor hit the ground face first and Loki crawled on his back and punched him on the side of his head several times. As soon as Thor caught his breath again he swung his left elbow as fast and as far back as he could and drilled his elbow into Loki's face sending the younger god flying back and breaking his nose.

Thor and Loki stood back up to their feet and wasted no time. Loki let out a snarl as he ran towards Thor and tackled him but as Loki pushed Thor back he swung his body around and pushed Loki against the wall. As Loki hit the wall he turned around and was hit by Thor's right hook which connected to Loki's jaw. Thor then grabbed Loki's injured shoulder, squeezed it and slammed it against the wall repeatedly with his right hand while delivering several body shots with his left hand. As Loki cried out the stitches on his shoulder ruptured and blood oozed out. Instinctively Loki connected a right hook to Thor's jaw but the elder god kept his assault going. As Loki pulled his arm back to punch Thor again he grabbed Loki by the wrist and slammed his arm against the wall completely pinning him. Before anything else could happen Loki pulled his head back and smashed Thor's nose with his forehead.

Thor let go of Loki and stammered back and hunched over himself as he wiped away the blood from his nose. Loki quickly ran towards Thor and hit him in the eye with his right knee sending Thor flying back to the ground.

"Jarvis, call for help!" Jan screamed as she pinned herself against the wall and kept an eye on the carnage before her.

Thor rose once more and threw a right hook which connected to Loki's jaw. Loki answered with a right hook of his own but Thor quickly grabbed Loki by the throat, and lifted him up high above himself. Loki on the other hand swung his legs back and as they traveled forward he kicked Thor on the chest and both brothers were sent hurdling towards the ground from the impact. As soon as both hit the ground they cried out. Loki had hit the floor hard. He had been dazed for a few seconds but as soon as he regained his composure he rushed back towards Thor and took a swing at him with his left hand. Surely enough, the cast broke and so did Thor's bottom lip. Needless to say Loki's injured hand had suffered greatly and _those_ stitches also ruptured. As Thor stumbled back Loki screamed from the pain but as soon as he stopped he aimed his right hand at Thor. In turn Thor looked to Loki, there was a green light coming from the palm and as it intensified the chip on the back of Loki's neck set off two hundred million volts.

Loki's agonizing screams filled the basement as wave after wave of super high voltage passed through his body. Thor and Jan watched in horror as Loki screamed. Exactly a minute later the chip stopped and so did the screams. Loki stood still as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and fell. Thor and Jan ran over to see if he was all right.

"Oh, my God! Loki!" Jan called out as she and Thor dropped down next to him.

"Move! Move! Move!" Tony barked as he ran towards Loki. The remote, which he always carried, had set off its alarm. The first thing Tony did was place his hand on Loki's chest to see if he was breathing. He was not. God or not two hundred million volts of electricity were going to cause damage. Tony, for measure and due to nervousness, checked his pulse but it was not present either.

"Clint, open the elevator door!" Tony yelled as he stepped aside as Steve and Hank picked up Loki to move him. Clint looked over Loki and a vile little smile adorned his face. He did not even have to do anything himself. Setting off the chip, even after Loki had been warned about it, had done the job for Clint. The fact that Thor and him had gotten into a bad fight was the icing on the cake for him. He still complied and went to open the elevator door.

As Hank and Steve hauled Loki to the elevator Tony turned to Jan and Thor and with a growling voice said, "I'll deal with you two later!"

It took two attempts but Hank, Bruce and Tony were able to get Loki's heart started again. His breathing, while irregular, started as well and soon regulated itself to a healthy rhythm. Once Loki was out of danger they tended to the wounds. They had to stitch his shoulder and hand again; they had to make another cast for his hand, this time securing it with a sling. Several x-rays were revealed the hand had suffered major setbacks. The clavicle had only been inflamed but otherwise Bruce was confident that there would be no risk of infection and no need for surgery. Tony removed the chip to care for the first degree burns but as soon as the area was taken care of Tony placed the chip back, but he lowered the voltage. They also took care of the bruised ribs and broken nose.

After everything was taken care of Tony retrieved to his room with a bottle of Vodka and two bottles of Jack Daniel's. Thor and Jan had not had their "cards read" as Tony implied he would do. Bruce spent the night watching over his patient accompanied by a regretful god of thunder. Jan was unable to sleep. She blamed herself for being so careless. She had hoped Loki would have been receptive to the idea of talking out his problems with Thor. Jan thought the notion to be foolish but Steve had reassured her that she had the right idea but it was executed at the wrong time. He had seen the security feed. They did not look like two men trying to kill each other; Steve could see the frustration in their faces. He made no mention of it but perhaps that brawl was enough to have gotten their frustrations of each other out of their systems.

"_Oh, no…why him?"_ Loki thought after opening his eyes and seeing Tony sitting across the room. He had volunteered to stand guard while Bruce took a break.

"Well, look who's finally awake." Tony's tone was normal; it was odd since Loki figured Tony would have been crawling up the walls in fury after what had happened. "You look like shit."

Loki rolled his eyes at Tony's wonderfully adapt observation skills and replied, "Exemplary use of the English tongue."

"Oh, wow, this coming from the guy who called Natasha a whiny cunt." Tony quipped as he stood up and walked over to the bed. Once near Loki he crossed his arms over his chest and with a serious tone continued, "Do you have any idea how lucky you are? What was the _first_ thing I told you about that chip on your neck? Your heart stopped, it took Hank and Bruce six minutes to get you breathing again."

Loki sighed but lowered his gaze. His eyes drifted to the cast, it was fresh, this time supported by a sling hanging from his neck. A million thoughts raced through his mind at a velocity that made it hard to concentrate on any one of them. He was also unsure of how to feel about anything.

"Where is Thor?" Loki asked in a whisper but Tony caught Loki's voice just as it quivered at the end.

"Your brother and your new best friend haven't left your side. They're on the third floor washing up."

"It wasn't her fault." Loki addressed as he kept his gaze down. "I persuaded her to let Thor in."

Tony turned his head slightly to the side as he studied Loki's face. Loki was very well aware of the security camera in the basement and he knew it could see and hear everything and he knew that everything that had happened in the basement had been recorded and obviously looked over. Thor had broken the golden rule that was placed to prevent that exact same situation. Jan had asked Thor to leave but when Loki told Jan to let Thor in she complied, everything before the fight had been seen and heard.

"That is the noblest lie I've ever heard." Tony praised as he smiled sincerely at Loki and Loki immediately knew what Tony meant but kept quiet on the manner.

"May I please speak to my brother?"

"Sure. But keep it civil, sport." Tony's tone was low but friendly. "I'll tell him to come down once he's finished but don't trash this place. Basement's shot to shit, don't need our med room trashed as well." Tony patted Loki on the back and actually smiled.

Twenty-nine minutes had gone by and each minute was grueling. He had no idea why he had asked to speak to Thor. The night before both had broken out into a brutal fight. Loki had no idea of what he was going to say to his brother once he passed through the door. For once he was speechless and unable to think clearly and admittedly nervous. The conversation with Jan kept playing over and over in his mind and he analyzed numerous times his own answers. None of the answers were coaxed out of him, he had not been entangled in a clever wordplay to fool him and he had been free to speak as he chose and in the end, the final answer he gave came from him and no one else. Maybe he had been too quick to anger when Thor wanted to speak.

"Brother, may I come in?" Thor's muffled voice and the knock at the door disrupted Loki's train of thought. The trickster looked towards the door and stood up from the bed and faced the door as he gathered himself and displayed a serious look on his face.

"Enter."

Thor opened the door slowly and stood on the doorframe for a few minutes as he asserted himself and looked at his brother. Both siblings stared at each other and studied each of the wounds they had caused each other. What neither knew was that they both regretted every blow and every injury.

"I was told you wanted to speak with me?" Thor asked firmly. His face shifted to a more serious tone.

"Yes…" Loki whispered. He was still unsure of what to say and how to say it but above all he was regretting the decision to do so.

"Why did you have a change of heart?" Thor was the first to break the silence.

"Who said I did?" Loki's words escaped him without even realizing what he was saying. He bit down on his bottom lip, regretting the words. He had been keeping his defenses on high alert for so long it was almost an automatic reaction. Thor did not react to Loki's words; he simply kept his head held high and his gaze steady.

"Then why save me? Why risk your life if you did not mean to spare me from Skurge's ax?"

"Because I wanted to kill you myself!" Loki boomed as he furrowed his brow.

"Your heart is filled with hate towards a lot of things and a lot of people. I know this not because you have told me but because of what you have done and how you have reacted. What was the cause of your hatred towards me? It was not always like this, little brother."

A deep sigh escaped Loki's nose and as he closed his eyes his facial expression softened to Thor's surprise, he tried to be as truthful as he could possibly be. "Recently someone forced me to realize that…perhaps it was…wrong of me to hate you as much as I have…for so long. I still do admit that Father's confession came at the most inopportune moment but…" Loki paused shifting his eyes to the ground.

"I _hated_ him for telling me right when he was seconds from falling into the Odin sleep and especially when I could not reach out to you when I needed you the most. But then I think back and realize that if you would have found out the truth as I have you would have…" Loki trailed off not daring to finish the sentence. The hurt and sadness that rumbled in his head somehow made its way into the pit of his stomach and he felt sick. He let out a shuddering breath as he closed his eyes.

"_This is harder than I thought it was going to be."_ He thought as he tried to push himself. It was now or never and hopefully was a means to put an end to all the bitterness that even he had to admit would eventually destroy him. The next words to come out of Loki's mouth were whispered and stuttered.

"Every time I close my eyes I can still see it. Do you remember when we rode into Jotunheim? That day I saw something there—I just got confused...I cannot do this!"

Loki turned to walk away but Thor grabbed him by the shirt and Loki froze. He opened his mouth to say something and chances were it was going to be sharp and hurtful towards Thor but before he could even breathe a single word Thor said in a calm yet dry tone enlaced with authority, "Sit down."

Loki actually turned his gaze on his brother who was staring at the floor and took one single step forward. He wanted to run away and hide, he needed to. This was going to take a lot from his part, he knew that from the very beginning and as much as he tried to deny it this was to be said and done. He kept staring at his older brother and this time his tone carried with it a mixture of sadness and anger.

"I said _sit_!" Loki did without so much as hesitating. It was common knowledge that when younger Loki was always the responsible one, keeping a close watch on Thor, always tending to his wounds whether physical or emotional and if needed be he would assume the parental role when their parents were absent. To his amused surprise the roles were switched. It had been long centuries since Thor raised his voice at Loki and spoke to him with such haste and authority.

"You will do well to listen to me, brother. I will speak and you will listen because I grow tired of this nonsense. Am I clear?"

"Yes." Loki said as he closed his eyes and turned his gaze upon the floor steadying himself for the coming words.

"I take some blame for what was happening. I should have kept a closer eye on you, protected you, and supported you. I clearly failed to do so numerous times from what I can see. Perhaps what was a joke to me was hurtful to you but know that I _never_ did anything out of ill will. I was blinded but it was never my intention to hurt you. I also never corrected the misbehavior of others comparing me to you and I know that hurt you more than anything else." Thor was now lowering his tone of voice. The sincerity in it was driving at Loki in a way he had not felt since speaking with Jan.

"You and I are as different as we are the same. My weapon of choice is a hammer, yours is sorcery. While they are powerful on their own they are unstoppable together. That is what most did not see but I did! Loki, my Loki, if we both chose to stand together and raze the nine realms to ashes we would do so without even blinking and all who saw that potential shook before the very thought. Oh, yes, brother, as much as many doubted you there were some who saw the potential within you, within both of us and trembled at the mere thought."

That got a reaction from Loki. He opened his eyes wide and began to breathe heavily. Small gasps escaped his throat as he thought back, always trying to prove his worth, his strength, tried to surpass anyone at everything he could, always trying to be as equally great as the only person who showed him genuine affection. Yet somewhere along the line he confessed to himself he thought the one person who would make all the wrong in life right was somehow drifting from him and as far back as he can remember he had to admit he did not know why such thoughts came to mind.

Loki was now trembling, he tried to keep his rage suppressed, tried as hard as he could not to cry but above all tried his hardest to for once listen and take in what was being said instead of thinking he was being judged for all the wrong reasons. There was no malice in Thor's words he knew that very well and as much as his words stung him like water falling on an open wound he still forced himself to listen. Thor was about to speak again but as he looked at Loki he saw he was trembling, eyes shut tightly, chest expanding rapidly and biting his bottom lip. Clear signs of stress.

"Brother?"

"Oh…" He finally spoke, unfortunately in a terrible stutter as tears built up in his eyes and as much as he tried to blink them away they were now silently running down his cheeks. "I—I—I …uh—I only wanted to be…I only ever wanted to be as good and as loved as you…"

Thor frowned as he placed his arm around Loki's waist, always smaller than his own; he dragged him closer until their sides came into contact with each other. He then wrapped his arm around Loki's shoulder and brought him closer until the back of Loki's head was under Thor's bearded chin. He could feel his younger brother quietly sobbing and as much as he wanted to stop talking and just hug him Thor knew he needed to continue. Sometimes it was best to destroy something in order to build it back up. Thor hugged him tightly with one arm and with his other hand he gently scratched behind his ear as he continued to speak.

"How could you possibly believe you were never loved enough? Mother and Father love us both equally and yes, even after all you have done."

Loki wanted to believe that notion but he still could not erase the look on Odin's face as Loki dropped into the abyss. That indifferent cold stare. "…and you?" Loki managed between gasping sobs.

"Always and forever, my little prince."

Those words dug deep into Loki and despite the fact that he did not want to let Thor see him cry he knew it was futile and Thor was clearly able to hear him sob. There was something Loki wanted to get off his chest and even if he knew his brother was not going to hurt him he still did not dare speak a word of it. Part of him wanted to just go out and say it mostly due to the fact that he wanted to see how Thor would react.

It was now or never and eventually Thor was going to find out and he had admitted he preferred that Thor find out through him than through someone else. He was breathing even heavier as the debate in his head intensified. Finally as all the noise from the arguments in his head stopped he whispered those dreaded words as more tears fell down his cheeks.

"I'm adopted."

"I know. Father told me. It makes no difference to me. You are still my little brother."

"But could you possibly think of a Frost Giant as a brother and still show the same affection as you have?"

Thor sighed heavily and Loki trembled even more, afraid of his brother's reaction. The silence in the room was practically deafening and it was making Loki even more nervous and regretful of his last words. Finally, Thor tightened his hug on Loki and smiled realizing where the conversation was taking a turn to.

"Father told me as well. It matters not to me what you were born as or if you were the abandoned runt of the litter. What matters to me is that you are my brother whether you are blue skinned with red eyes or pale with green eyes. I don't care."

Loki was still engulfed in Thor's embrace and still crying. Thor was now fighting back tears, it hurt him that Loki would even think that he loved him any less even after being raised together, playing together, training together, sharing an entire lifetime as siblings together. However, Thor did admit he had been shocked at the revelation and did not know how to handle it at first but despite it all that was still his little brother who chased him around and played with him. He decided that no matter what he still thought of Loki as his brother and would not love him any less.

"Whether you are a Frost Giant, mortal, Asgardian…chinchilla…" Both brothers began to laugh at the last word and it was a good distraction however brief it was. "You will always be _my_ little baby brother and nothing in all the nine realms will ever change that and I will not love you any less."

As Thor finished subtle tears fled his eyes and Loki kept sobbing. His face was twitching between smiling and frowning. He was gasping for air as his sobs got louder and streams of tears fell down his cheeks. Thor grabbed him with both arms and hugged him tightly, Loki grabbed Thor's shirt with his right hand and pulled Thor to him as he continued to cry.

Eventually the hysterical sobs toned down to gentler sobs until all was quiet safe for the occasional sniffling. After an hour tears were still washing down both of their faces but the room temperature felt lower so Thor shifted both himself and Loki to the middle of the bed. Thor crossed his legs to sit Indian style and managed to twist around to grab the blanket. He wrapped the blanket over both of them while Loki rested the right side of his upper body on Thor's shoulder. Thor placed then wrapped his arm around the back of Loki's neck to gently scratch the back of Loki's head.

This was strange. Loki half expected a huge argument in which he would say something overly painful and sharp just to hurt Thor and he expected Thor to try and reach out to him until his patience would wear out and would eventually in turn say something just as awful. He was even prepared for it to turn physical again but it all took him by surprise. He shifted his now dry, half closed green eyes about and finally laid eyes on the hair that was dangling several inches from his face. As if on automatic he reached out and grabbed the hair and began to twirl his fingers in it.

Thor looked down and smiled, the sensation of the fingers wrapped around his hair was ticklish but he refrained from moving. It had been centuries since Loki had done that and the touch was not unwelcome. He would often do that when he had a nightmare as a small child and needed to run into Thor's room to look for comfort. Usually he would grab his hand or his hair and slowly drift off to sleep. The memory made Thor feel a warm sensation in his stomach and as he kept scratching the back of Loki's head he actually began to quietly hum. The mighty Thor, wielder of Mjolnir and the greatest warrior in all the nine realms was actually humming. Loki heard the humming and was immediately overwhelmed by memories of childhood and an overprotective older brother who never left his side until Loki would smile again and feel better and safe.

Loki relaxed and eventually found sleep to come easily.


	8. The Only Thing I Understand Is What I Fe

**Chapter 8:  
****The Only Thing I Understand Is What I Feel**

After his last encounter with the Avengers Skurge had returned to Asgard only to find himself at the end of verbal lashings and mockery from Amora. She was furious but she was even more enraged when Skurge confessed he had been tricked by Loki and then betrayed. It was common knowledge that making a deal with the god of mischief was not only a bad idea but an idea that would either get you killed or imprisoned.

Skurge had described the crystal Loki had shown him but Amora remained ignorant to what the crystal was and what it was for. She would have gone to Karnilla but the news of Karnilla wanting both Skurge and herself in Karnilla's dungeons did not encourage such a chore. Eventually through shady dealings and threats Amora discovered that the one crystal that Loki possessed was in fact just one from a set of four.

After that discovery she snuck into Karnilla's palace, no easy task but it was done, to retrieve the chest. She had formed a plan to get back at Loki. At the time it was thought that Thor was the one who had asked to borrow the crystal but in reality it had been Loki. Loki the shape shifting, scheming trickster son of a dog.

So far Amora had partially placed together Loki's latest scheme. He used Karnilla to gain access to one of the crystals under the guise of Thor, in doing so he had placed Skurge and herself in Karnilla's sight. Amora figured it was to persuade the queen into lending a crystal and in return paying a debt. A bounty. Loki then used Skurge as bait as he moved silently in the shadows until he was close enough to strike his brother down.

As much as she hated to admit it she had to come to terms with the fact that his scheme was good. She was sure he would eventually turn Hela's sight on Karnilla in order to gain a favor from her. The more she thought about it the more she became enraged. Used up like a puppet and then discarded on a dirt road at the mercy of the elements. She had not even been aware she was used in a plot until recently.

"If that dog thinks he can use me for one of his schemes he is mistaken!" Amora hissed as she raised an arm high above her head and several inches from her body. Her fingertips began to glow and she slowly lowered her arm causing a rip in front of her. So few were able to travel that way but today she was not going to travel, no, she was going to make sure that Karnilla's wrath was brought down upon Loki. Skurge handed her the golden chest that contained the last three crystals. She smiled as she laid eyes on them slowly opening the chest. She grabbed all three crystals and chucked them through the rip in front of her, a rip that led to Midgard.

She began to laugh as she closed the rip and after closing it she turned to Skurge and handed him the chest and said, "Now, let us pay a visit to our dear queen and do leave your ax. We will be surrendering to the queen after all."

Amora walked on and Skurge looked confused. He felt uneasy walking into enemy territory unarmed and unprotected but part of him was sure Amora's rage fueled plan was going to work. He still obeyed but every fiber of his being suggested what they were about to get involved with was a bad idea.

As if on cue Karnilla's guards circled Amora and Skurge and without so much as hesitating Amora quietly announced to the guard before her, "I wish to speak to the queen."

"And what is there to discus?" A booming female voice erupted from beyond the group of guards. The circle parted and the Norn queen made her way towards Amora. Rage washed over her face as she placed her eyes on the duo.

"It is a matter of great importance, my queen. I believe it is best discussed in private."

"You will speak now, witch, lest I order my guards to tear you into oblivion." Karnilla's voice boomed loudly and Skurge tensed but Amora remained calm. She could use Karnilla's anger to her advantage. After carefully choosing her words she bowed her head in submission and presented to the queen a golden chest. The same golden chest Karnilla kept the Hel Crystals in. The queen literally gasped in horror at the sight of the empty chest that was being held by Amora.

"My queen I fear you and I have been used as pawns for the trickster's latest scheme."

The queen was filled with rage and concern. She clenched both of her fists and gritted her teeth but eventually calmed down. She was at the mercy of Amora and her plan and figured she would need her and Skurge to get the crystals back to her.

"Guards, lower your weapons."

It had been a week since Thor and Loki had finally sat down to talk and it seemed like it had been the very thing that needed to happen in order for the brothers to finally come to terms with each other. After that event had taken place Loki seemed completely at peace and tranquil. So much so that he would openly speak to the rest of the group in a civilized matter, he allowed Thor to join him and Jan for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was as if his hatred and hostility had been erased from within Loki. In turn the rest of the group, except for Clint, took to socializing more and more with him. There were chess matches and re-matches between Hank, Bruce and Loki every few days, Jan had brought down a television and would join the siblings or whoever was currently visiting for a while or movie marathons. It was almost normal.

Eventually the cast was removed from Loki's hand and while the hand was back to normal it would stiffen a little bit but it was nothing he could not handle but the stitches still needed more time. The shoulder, however, was still recovering. He stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, his wet hair dangling in front of him and slightly past his shoulders. He looked at the slightly bruised shoulder and closed his eyes; he knew it was by sheer luck he had not been decapitated by Skurge's ax. He often visited that day in his dreams and the mere thought of what his actual intentions were that day now made him feel like vomiting.

Things were fine between him and Thor and he was finally able to speak to his brother as they did when young. No jealousy, no hatred, no bitterness between them, just a bond that had endured through the worst and prevailed in the end. He was grateful for it and in turn did realize he had a lot to make up for. He also made peace with the fact that he would have to return to Asgard to complete his sentence. Loki actually promised Thor he would do so but Thor insisted he first recover and then he would return to Asgard with him to make it easier on him while swearing to visit every day.

As he stared at his reflection he passed his hand over his bare injured shoulder and wished for it to never recover. He found living, even if as a captive, in the mansion comforting. Jan was the first to approach him like a person and not as a guard and in turn that made Hank do the same. In two weeks he had gained a portion of their trust. A portion mostly due to the fact that he still had the metallic device attached to the back of his neck and he behaved rather well. However, Clint still shot him hostile looks and refused to speak to him in a civilized manner. He was fine with that because if he was to be truthful with himself he had to admit he wronged him and he figured nothing he ever did would make Clint even slightly forgive him.

A knock on the bathroom door startled his train of thought and a friendly voice from the other side said, "Loki, you in there?" It was Jan.

"Yes."

"Hey, listen, everyone is gone off to kick someone's butt but before they left Tony asked me to let you know that if you want you can come on upstairs."

In the two and a half weeks that Loki had been there he had never once been asked to join them in the upper levels. He figured he was just going to spend the entire time locked away in the basement but this surely made his face light up. He did not hesitate to agree to join her in the upper levels. He looked forward to every interaction he and Jan shared and now that he and Thor had finally made peace he also looked forward to Thor heading down to the basement to pay him a visit and to chat.

"Great! When you're dressed just punch in the code '553' on the pad and press the star and it'll open the door. Once in the elevator just press the 3 and I'll be waiting in the living room. We can watch some bad horror movies and eat some ice cream and pizza and I can brush your hair!" The sincerity in her voice made him blush. His idea of fun was reading a book in a quiet place accompanied by a glass of wine but he actually longed for some friendly company and it was not such a terrible idea to try new things.

"I will join you in a few minutes."

"Awesome! The pizzas should be here at any minute. Don't take too long!"

The room went quiet again as Jan rushed off to the elevator. Loki could not help but smile at the very thought that someone other than Thor actually wanted to spend some time with him and was actually glad to do so out of their own volition. It was a rare event indeed. It was also sort of heartbreaking, he had to be honest with himself and admit he did not have any friends in Asgard. Those he referred to as "friends" were more like acquaintances he met through Thor and never felt any sort of connection to them. He sighed deeply as he pushed back tears and blinked quickly.

The elevator doors opened and Loki stepped out. He found himself staring at a huge room. The carpet on the floor was beige; the walls were white as was the roof. There was a giant television at the end of the room adorning the wall. In front of it was a long sofa that could easily sit four people, several other little cushioned seats and two bean bags on the floor. He approached the sofa slowly, a bit shy as he kept his shoulders stiff and his arms to the side.

As he neared the sofa a hand patted him on the back and Jan walked past him with two boxes of pizza. She set the boxes down on the table in front of the sofa and smiled up at Loki and signaled him to walk around the sofa and to have a seat. Jan stood up and walked towards the kitchen as soon as Loki sat down. He in turn watched where she was heading to and heard a mess of cluttering noises and a slight Midgardian swear.

When Jan returned it was with two tubs of ice cream, two litters of soda and a huge bowl of popcorn. She set everything down and giggled at Loki's puzzled look. She also looked at the shirt he was wearing and pressed a hand over her mouth as she tried to withhold some more laughter. The shirt he was wearing was one of Thor's old hand-me-downs and on Loki's frame it looked like the shirt had once belonged to a giant.

"That reminds me," Jan giggled as she slightly tugged on the shirt's collar, "Thor and Steve went out and got you some clothing that will actually fit. It's not fancy, just some plain t-shirts, jeans and such. At least it won't be Thor's oversized clothing."

Loki looked down at the shirt and smiled. He was more than okay with what he was wearing and if he was to be honest it did not bother him at all, he felt comfortable. The gesture was appreciated and he slightly nodded. He could still keep Thor's clothes to sleep.

Jan settled all the food, if it could be called food, and walked over to the television and the Blu-Ray player and inserted a disk. Loki watched carefully and memorized all Jan was doing for future reference. As soon as she was finished she placed the giant bowl of popcorn between herself and Loki, grabbed one of the ice cream tubs and handed it and a big spoon to Loki and she grabbed the other one. As soon as she was comfortable and saw that Loki was relaxed she hit the button and the movie began.

They must have watched at least four films by the time the front door opened and the rest of the Avengers walked through it. Thor had a look of victory written all over his face, Steve just sighed contently, Clint silently walked in while rubbing his right elbow, Bruce walked in with a sheepish look on his face and Tony walked in with a look that said he was about ready to kick someone. Tony glared at Bruce and held up two fingers as he said, "This is the second time I tell you to reconsider throwing trucks at villains. This is also the second time you decide that throwing a truck is a good idea and this is also the second time said truck landed on me. I swear to God there will not be a third time." Tony walked on to remove his scratched armor while Clint and Thor chuckled and Bruce whimpered.

"My friends, what is the use of exchanging hostile words? We were victorious! Let us now find a comforting spot and relax for the evening." Thor said as he walked over to the elevator at the end of the room followed by Hank, Steve, Clint and Bruce.

"How can you always be so cheerful? It's like a mental disease!" Tony ragged on as he walked away to get the armor off of him. The rest of the team would head down to get cleaned and patched up but since Tony was always inside his suit he never had a single speck of dirt on him so it was only a matter of just removing the suit. The others would take a while and remembering what he had told Jan before leaving he decided to take Thor's words to heart and head to the giant living room in the third floor to see if Loki had taken the offer.

After watching four films Loki had come to the realization that if there was indeed a raving lunatic bursting in through the front door all he would have to do in order to capture and maim all the residents of the mansion would be to simply walk very slowly, at least according to the films. He did get to a point where he predicted who was going to die next, why and who the real killer was. It was dull, most made no sense at all, all were easy to decipher and it was the most fun he had had in a very long time. Every minute was enjoyable. He looked forward to finding out the plot before Jan could, relished the minute Jan would scream and get popcorn all over the sofa and carpet due to a fright, the exaggerated scenes of gore, blood and entrails and how Jan would feel sick at the sight of it.

Loki looked down at the now empty tub of ice cream, the almost empty pizza boxes and the popcorn bowl that was surprisingly still half way full. He looked to his left and saw the empty soda bottle. He had actually finished an ice cream tub, ate some pizza, pecked at some popcorn and drank an entire liter of soda. He suddenly felt like Thor at the sound of the dinner bell. He did not care, he actually got it into his head that today he was just going to enjoy himself even if he made a pig of himself and diluted his brain activity over some trashy horror films. He could see why mortals were always so attracted to the television. This was definitely an evening he wished to repeat.

"Head to the kitchen and get some more soda while I put on another movie." Jan said as she stood up and a mess of popcorn fell off her lap.

The corner of Loki's mouth stretched up in glee. He got up from the sofa and went in the direction Jan had gone to retrieve two more liters of soda. He actually felt comfortable enough to walk about freely and to actually go into the kitchen and ransack the place for food. When he returned with the items he bent over and placed the sodas on the table but let out a sharp wince. Jan heard Loki whimpering and rushed over to him to see what was wrong.

"Hey, are you okay?" A genuine look of concern washed over her face. He only saw that kind of concern on Thor's face and on his mother's face. He turned his gaze away from Jan when he realized he was just staring at her and calmly said as he slowly moved his left shoulder, "I am fine. My shoulder just pained me for a second but it is fine now."

"Oh, nonsense. Come on, sit on the floor and I'll massage the shoulder. Hank taught me, and believe me, with all the injuries we get around here it has been a pretty good talent to have."

"Uh, no, that's quite all right. No need to concern yourself."

"Tsk, don't be such a baby." Jan chided as she rolled her eyes and walked towards Loki. She grabbed him by the arm, the uninjured one, and pulled on it until he sat on the carpet with a steady thud. As he hit the floor he stiffened and his eyes went wide in shock. Jan sat behind him on the sofa and cracked her fingers as she said, "Now relax. Might hurt just a teensy bit but I promise your shoulder will be a lot better. Trust me."

Loki slightly groaned under his breath and tensed up severely but as much as he wanted to object he knew it would be futile. Jan stretched her arms out and gently placed both hands on Loki's left shoulder. Loki jumped and Jan could swear she heard a slight almost inaudible whimper escape Loki. Jan frowned and slightly slapped Loki on his head and in an almost parental tone said, "I told you to relax. I'm _not_ gonna to hurt you."

Loki lowered his head a little but immediately relaxed lest he be struck again; he took no offense to it. Jan meant well and Loki had to admit he was very stubborn. He also found it amusing that a mortal would actually have enough sass to take such a tone with a being like him. He slightly smiled and lowered the tension in his shoulders. Jan placed her hands on him again and smiled as she concentrated. This was going to take a while and not because his shoulder was injured, he had knots everywhere but with time she was sure she could help him out with that.

The sensation was indescribable and as his tensed shoulder relaxed he felt a warm sensation creep up from the pit of his stomach to his cheeks. It was as if a fire had been lit inside his stomach and its warmth was slowly dancing from his stomach to his cheeks. After a few minutes Loki felt himself go and actually closed his eyes and a subtle moan escaped his throat. He never wanted it to end.

The elevator bell rang and the rest of the team walked in. Tony smiled when he saw Loki had decided to join the group in the upper levels; he turned his gaze to Hank who playfully shook his head at the current sight. He knew he had taught Jan well but the broken collarbone was a sensitive area and any wrongly placed hand could cause an injury. But the look on Loki's completely relaxed face said she was not injuring him so he let her continue.

Tony walked ahead of the group and as soon as he was near the sofa he leaned down to pick up a piece of pizza and as he stood up straight he said, "Hey, sport, how do you feel today?" He then sat down next to Jan as he kept staring at Loki waiting for an answer.

Loki had frozen in horror and immediately tensed up when he realized the rest of the group had arrived. He felt like a small child who had just been caught outside of his room when he had been ordered to stay in his room until his parents saw fit to let him roam freely. Jan noticed the tension so she answered for him, "He's fine, his shoulder just stiffened for a bit but he's fine."

Tony nodded with a smile as he took a bite out of his piece of pizza and put both feet on the table. After Loki and Thor had had that conversation in the basement Loki had relaxed even more and Thor was genuinely happy. Loki also began to talk freely and after a few days Tony opened up in his usual way towards Loki. Which actually meant Loki was prone to being the receptor of Tony's charming personality.

"And you!" Jan leaned down as she slapped the back of Loki's head once more, "Relax, you were invited to spend some time with us. It's fine. Have some more soda and popcorn."

"Wow, more soda? Geez, Jan, you got him addicted to that stuff." Hank playfully added as he himself reached for the soda and poured some into a cup he had grabbed from the kitchen.

"So? Thor drinks four cups of coffee in one sitting." Jan stated as she laughed.

Loki obeyed and reached for a handful of popcorn. Hank then sat on Jan's other side, Steve took the last spot on the sofa and Bruce pushed one of the cushioned chairs next to the sofa. Clint had stopped in the kitchen momentarily and came out with a cold bottle of beer and a very agitated look on his face.

"_I can't believe this son of a bitch is up here mingling with us as if he was one of us. What the fuck is Tony thinking? What the fuck are any of them thinking?"_ Clint thought as he quietly moved past the group. He quietly grabbed one of the beanbags and pulled it away from the group. As he sat on the beanbag he let out an exaggerated sigh and continued to drink from the bottle in his hand.

Loki noticed the behavior, in fact, they all did but they chose to ignore it. Loki could not ignore it. He felt ashamed to have brought so much pressure into Tony's house and even more when seeing he was driving a wedge between his brother's friends. Jan continued to massage his shoulder and it somehow distracted him as he saw Thor walk up to him and sat next to him on the floor.

"Greetings, brother. How does your hand and shoulder feel?"

Loki nodded happily and a strange glow lit his face as soon as he laid eyes on Thor. Bruce had looked to see Loki's reaction to seeing Thor and noticed his face light up. Bruce smiled as he placed his eyes on Steve and Tony who in turn smiled. Not even the god of lies could fake such a reaction.

"So what movie are we watching?" Tony asked as leaned back on the sofa.

"Dawn of the Dead." Jan answered as she continued to look ahead and continue the massage.

"Again? I've seen it a bunch of times." Tony whined as he smiled.

"Silence, Stark." Loki actually jested as he smiled.

"Yeah, silence, Stark." Jan repeated as she laughed followed by the rest of the group. Tony smiled, it was odd to see him so relaxed and at ease with the group around. It was odd to see him sitting so close to Thor and still remain so calm. He hoped everything had settled.

Eventually the group fell into silence as they watched the film. They had all seen it multiple times but it was a fun film and Loki had never seen it so it was easy to endure it once again.

Sadly not everyone was calm. Clint kept shooting dirty looks at the group and especially at Loki. How he wanted to get up and place a swift well placed kick to his injured shoulder and just keep bombarding him with punches and kicks till he was bruised and bloody and Clint had his fill. He was not buying this new version of Loki. Not at all. He kept waiting for the minute Loki would eventually turn on them and kill each of them in their sleep. It was ridiculous.

"So Hank, how do you like your girl massaging another man?" Clint shot as he stared at the bottom of his seventh empty beer bottle.

That remark got a puzzled reaction from Hank but Tony and Steve leaned forward to look at Clint. Both sported a very serious scolding look. Jan decided to ignore Clint and continued to massage Loki's shoulder. Thor rolled his eyes, a trait he picked up from Jan and Hank. Bruce slowly planted his face in his palm. Loki sighed and closed his eyes as he felt rage begin to build. It was Asgard all over again. It seemed everywhere he went he caused misery.

"Hmph!" Was all Clint said but Tony and Steve were already angry.

"Why don't you just go to bed? Those seven beers are making you say stupid shit. You should sleep that off. Now!" Jan's tone was sharp and crude, a rare sight and one reserved for those who deserved no better from her or anyone else.

Clint uttered curses under his breath and rose in haste to go to his room. Tony and Steve were at his heels to have a talk with him. Loki had begun to breathe heavily and he could no longer hold his tears back as thin streams fled his eyes from trying to contain his rage and guilt. Bruce noticed the tears and as he gently placed a hand on Loki's shoulder he shrugged it off and quickly stood up and walked to the bathroom on the other side of the living room. The remaining members of the group chased him but as soon as they got to the bathroom Loki had locked the door.

He stood against the door and lowered his gaze and he slowly dropped to sit on the floor while hiding his face between his knees and violently pulling on his hair. He pulled hard enough to actually rip some hair right out of his scalp and as he tossed it aside he placed his right lower arm into his mouth and bit down hard enough to tear flesh and draw blood. He remained still as he quietly wept while the others kept knocking on the door.

Before Clint could shut his door and lock it Tony and Steve barged in but before Clint could protest Tony began to talk.

"What the fuck is the matter with you?! Do you have any idea how sensitive this situation is?!" Tony barked furiously as he kept a steady gaze on Clint who returned the gaze.

"Do you? Because we all know it's such a good idea to let that maniac in here. Give him the chance to murder us all in our sleep!"

"Oh, gosh, yes, I totally forgot how easily one can do that with a shattered hand and a broken collarbone! Clint, this isn't a permanent thing! As soon as he's recovered we'll toss him back to Odin or Zeus or whoever the fuck it is that makes the rules up in Asgard."

"Yeah, why are we doing that again? It's not like we owe that son of a bitch anything!"

"Because his shattered hand was _my_ fault!" Tony screamed as he placed a hand over his chest. "It was sheer dumb luck he wasn't killed and I may be a lot of things but a killer is not one of them. I was not going to murder an unarmed man!"

There was suddenly a cold silence in the room. Tony and Clint were still staring down at each other and Steve just looked at the two of them. He had been given very specific details about what had happened in Las Vegas but not having been an actual witness had made the details all the harder to belief. He was certain now that the events were as real as they were strange.

"You saw how he pushed Thor out of the way, for whatever reason he did it and in turn got an ax buried into his shoulder. Those x-rays didn't lie. You saw his hand and you saw his shoulder." Tony's tone lowered now to a calm scold and his eyes were less intense.

"You also have noticed his state of mind during his stay here." Steve finally budged in, "Sure, at first he was hostile and I myself thought he was just waiting for the perfect moment to strike but look at how they were sitting together, they talk now, share meals together and laugh. They look normal."

"He's faking everything! That guy is waiting for the perfect moment to strike and let me tell you something I am _not_ going to sit around here and wait for that to happen!" Clint yelled as he waved his hands in protest.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tony snapped as he folded his arms over his chest.

Clint groaned loudly as he rethought his last statement. Clearly he was thinking in anger and he did have half a mind to leave the group while Loki was still in the mansion. Underneath it all he did understand why Tony felt the need to let him stay and recuperate but Clint was nervous and no matter what he refused to trust Loki. "I'm sorry for the outburst but I don't trust that son of a bitch."

"Yeah, but you don't have to be such an asshole about it!" Tony quickly replied and Steve nodded in agreement. Even as Tony said those last words he was taken aback. Not only was he defending _Loki_ but he was actually telling someone else not to act in a way Tony himself often acted as. He was sure to analyze this evening later at night.

"It'll take a lot more than that for me to actually believe he's somehow changed. Redemption is a long and hard road and he has barely scratched the surface. If Thor wants to blindly believe him, fine. If the rest of you want to treat him as a pet, fine. But if he wants to get on my good side he needs to actually prove he wants to stop this villain bullshit. In the mean time I'll stop acting like an ass but don't expect me to get friendly with him or be his friend."

"That's all we're asking." Steve said in a calm tone.

Tony was going to say something else but he was interrupted by an electronic voice, "Sir, I'm afraid there's an incident occurring in the living room's bathroom."

"What is it, Jarvis?!" Tony barked as his concentration was being broken. He was not nearly done giving Clint a piece of his mind and he was not going to leave until he had his say, even if Clint had agreed to adjust his attitude.

"There seems to be a situation in the living room of the third floor."

Tony and Steve both looked at each other in fright and rushed back outside to see what the commotion was about. Tony, Steve and Clint rushed back to the living room and saw the rest of the group huddled near the bathroom door. Tony made his way through the group and saw Thor sitting in the floor holding Loki in his arms; Loki was sprawled across the floor. He looked like a murder victim and had just been discovered by a family member. Tony looked at his face and he looked almost comatose.

Jan was next to Thor and was comforting Thor. Tony thought it was funny since the one who needed the comfort was clearly Loki but when he looked up he saw Thor with a similar look on his face, like he tried as hard as he could to mend a broken object but every time he taped the object together it would fall and break with even the swiftest movement.

Tony knelt down next to the trio and overlooked them. Jan had taken some paper towels and some disinfectant and carefully cleaned the bite wound while Tony tried to sustain the situation. After cleaning his wounds and calming him Loki was escorted to one of the guest rooms. Tony was glad Clint had retrieved to his room well before Loki was dragged out of the bathroom because he was sure he would have made a scene and protested to Loki being in the upper levels and not being locked away in the basement.

He was given a room right next to Thor's and in front of Steve's. Tony figured he would feel more comfortable with being near his brother and near someone who was not dead-set of beheading him. As they said their good nights Jan slightly ruffled Loki's hair and smiled at him as she used to when he was first brought in.

Tony looked at Jan as she walked out and nodded. He knew that if there was anyone in that mansion that had actually mastered a way of calming him it was Jan. He turned to Loki and saw Bruce patting him on the head and saying his good night. Thor did the same and as he spoke Loki looked up at him and smiled. It was a sad smile and one he knew he faked but there was still a hint of sincerity in it and it actually made Tony's stomach churn.

As soon as the door closed behind him Tony turned to make sure everyone had left and as soon as he confirmed it he walked up to the bed and sat down next to Loki. The two men idly watched the carpeted floor. The silence was in part serene but Tony was plagued by uneasy thoughts of how to speak and what to say.

The man next to Tony opened his mouth and began in a whisper, "Have you ever felt an intense anger boiling within you? A sort of anger that you knew if you did not unleash it would ultimately fester and rot you from within?"

"Yes." Tony answered in a quiet tone being reminded of his drinking and the times he almost succumbed to alcohol poisoning because no matter how much he drank none of the alcohol was strong enough to erase the actual problem. It could only numb it for a short time.

Loki sighed as he continued, "For a short period of time I tried as hard as I could to suppress it. It was…taxing to say the least but that anger begged and pleaded to get out. Now looking back I believe I was letting that anger out in the worst possible way and expulsed it on the wrong people."

"You're right, in a way. Everyone feels that anger but some feel it even more and some can't seem to know how to deal with it. Sometimes the result can be something you didn't want in the first place." Tony paused as he gathered his thoughts, it was a sensitive subject and he needed to tread carefully. "Taking your anger out on others, especially people who care about you, is not the way to deal with it. But it doesn't make it any less wrong to take it out on yourself. In a sense it's actually slightly worse." Tony then pointed to the bite mark and Loki nodded.

Loki continued to look down at the carpet. He abhorred sympathy and pity but in a way he longed for it. Had he been in another state of mind he would have sought out Clint, broken a bone or two, set the mansion on fire and would have left. He admitted that it would have all resulted in him feeling better to cause destruction but only for a short time. He would have realized his actions would have garnered the worst feelings from them because of his lack of control over his emotions and in turn would have felt awful because the few people who actually gave him a second chance and were, as he felt, being genuinely kind to him would have turned their backs on him. As a result it would have angered him further and he would cause further damage and again those he affected would harbor him ill will and hate.

It was a vicious cycle and Loki was aware of it, he was also aware of the fact that he was exhausted from being trapped and consumed by it. As furious as he was with his father for keeping his true identity a secret he could not bear the thought of his father hating him, as much as he hated how the general populace of Asgard regarded him as a weakling and mocked him in a cruel way he could not stand the thought of them turning their backs to him, as much as he, falsely, claimed to hate his brother for being overshadowed by him and never being as good or as shinning at everything as he was he had to admit that the worst case scenario would be for Thor to hate him. That and that alone would be something similar to death. Something he thanked the stars had not happened yet.

"I'm trying." Loki finally spoke up, still refusing to look Tony in the eyes.

"I know you are but you can't let your anger win. Believe me, I know it's hard. Whenever there is a problem I feel is too great for me or when the world just seems to be collapsing and closing in on me like a set of claws I drown in alcohol. It's most certainly the worst idea but it just stops everything from getting too close for comfort. Worst part of it all is that right before opening that first bottle I know what I am about to do is stupid."

Tony turned to look at Loki and actually smiled and in a playful gesture bumped his shoulder with Loki's. The man next to him did not get the real significance behind the gesture but he finally looked up at him and he saw his smile and in turn slightly lifted the corner of his mouth.

"I know you're trying. I'm not a psychologist and I don't know you the way Thor does but I can tell you've been trying to control your anger. If it was not clear before then tonight proved it. You would have turned Clint into shreds but you didn't. Sure you took out your frustration on your arm and your scalp but you didn't burn him into oblivion and deep down I know you were tempted to do it but you didn't. You should find some other way to let your anger out, in a constructive way, something passive. Promise?"

Loki turned his gaze away unsure of what to say, normally he would lie but he, for once, felt like he did not need to lie in order to feel safe. He sighed and closed his eyes as he found himself unable to lie but unable to concede to the request. "I can try."

"The fact that you'll try is good enough for me."

"I'll try." It was all Loki repeated in a low murmur but loud enough that Tony heard.

"And since I still have your attention, Steve and I spoke to Clint and he agreed to stop acting like a horse's ass. However, it doesn't mean you should allow anyone to bully you around like that. You weren't doing anything wrong. If he gets on your case again you punch him square in the face and kick him in the balls."

At last Loki actually laughed, lightly, but he laughed and in turn Tony felt a sense of relieve and laughed as well. "Well," Tony said as he stood up and tousled Loki's hair, "You should get some sleep. Good night, sport."

"I'm far older than you. Why in the name of—"

"You're the only one in this house with the title of 'baby brother'." Tony smugly said as he opened the door to Loki's room and before shutting the door he peeked his head in and with a wide smile said, "Good night, tiger!"

Loki just laughed.


	9. A Constant Wave Of Tension On Top Of B

**Note:  
**My short vacation has come to an unfortunate end so all updates will only be 1 chapter from here on out unless I get a lot of editing done. Currently re-writing chapter 11 so I've slowed down a bit because I want to do that chapter carefully. After that it should be a breeze.

**Chapter 9:**  
A Constant Wave Of Tension On Top Of Broken Trust

Sleep did not find its way easily that night. His mind reverted back to the, as he admitted, surreal conversation he had had with Tony. A year ago this was a man who was being fought against and a man he hated for having defeated him. But in the span of almost four weeks Loki found that hate slowly diminishing until it was not present any longer. He even went as far as to admit that he did not hate Clint either. He felt uneasy, insecure and in danger around Clint. At first Loki could not fathom why Clint's presence stirred him so but he was slowly realizing that it was Clint's behavior.

Clint behaved exactly as his father did. No matter how hard he tried to suppress his anger, to not act on a thoughtless whim or give in to his insatiable Id he knew for certain that Clint would never stop acting hostile towards him. In a way, he came to the conclusion that of all the people in the house he had wronged him, beside his brother, in the foulest way. Eventually he resigned to avoiding Clint all together, they were all living in a peaceful state and if Loki the liesmith was to be honest he enjoyed the present company, relished the fact that these people who he had wronged had actually given him a second chance and helped him recuperate from his ghastly injuries and if he analyzed the situation even further they were also the reason for his current inner peace. Peace he had not known of for centuries.

Loki felt safe in the mansion. He was not looked down at with judgmental eyes, was treated as if he was one of their own, literally from Thor's part, and they were now including him in passive activities they partook in. As he thought of the day's events he smiled, even if all that junk food had made his stomach a bit sick and the movies Jan had picked out, safe for the last one, were as she stated "trashy" he still had a wonderful day and it did not involve him burning something or killing someone.

As his mind calmed and was beginning to feel the hazy side-effects of sleep he smiled as he cuddled the blanket close to him.

Unfortunately for him as his mind drifted swiftly into a deep sleep he tossed and turned and groaned as his mind was plagued by a nightmare. A nightmare that once it reached its climax forced him awake by its horrifying content. He sat up from his bed quickly and a sharp yelp escaped his throat. He looked around his room in panic, his eyes were wide, his pupils had shrunk and he was breathing heavily and panting. He placed both hands on his throat and as he pulled them away he felt a soft tingle and a bile sickening reaction stirring in his stomach. When he saw the room was empty he placed a palm on his forehead and looked down at the bed. He passed his hand through his hair as he inhaled and exhaled in order to regain his composure and to calm his breathing.

"_It was just a nightmare. That's all it was."_ Loki thought as he then realized he was neither confirming a fact nor trying to convince himself of something.

As his breathing returned to normal he grabbed the end of the blanket and as he placed his head back on the pillow he pulled the blanket over his head. An action he had not done since he was a child. He tried to fall back asleep but found it difficult as his mind was plagued by the nightmare. Loki was well aware that it had been a nightmare but the nature of it and its contents had shaken him.

Loki pulled the covers away and looked to the night stand beside his bed. The small clock with the brilliant red numbers in it confirmed it was 3:44 in the morning. He sighed heavily as he sat on the bed and grabbed his pillow. As he hugged the pillow tightly he looked at the door and without thinking he stood up and walked out into the hallway.

He looked down the hallway to his right and walked up to the door next to his. He held onto his pillow with one hand and with the other gently opened the door as to not disturb the person inside the room. As he crept inside the room he could hear rumbling snores emitting from the person inside. Oh, yes, this was definitely Thor's room. He would recognize that sound anywhere.

Thor was a heavy sleeper when he was sure he was resting in a safe place; it would take an explosion or a hammer to the head in order to wake him from his sleep. Nevertheless he blinked his eyes awake as he felt a presence in his room. He slowly sat up on his bed and turned the lamp on his nightstand on. As his vision cleared he looked to the wall next to his bed and on the chair a smaller skinnier frame had curled itself in a fetal position. Thor batted his eyes a few times to clear his vision more and as soon as it cleared he was puzzled at who it was.

"Loki? Are you all ri—"

"I had a nightmare." Loki cut him off before Thor could finish his question. Thor smiled down at his brother as he remembered countless times Loki had snuck into his room and hid under the covers next to him because of a nightmare or a horrible storm.

"Is there anything I can get for you?" Thor's tone was soft with a hint of protectiveness that never seemed to have left him.

"I don't want to be alone right now." Loki said in a quivering breath as he tightly hugged his pillow.

Thor could not help but smile again. He grabbed his two pillows and blanket and made his way towards the chair while Loki followed his every move with his eyes. Thor went into the closet to retrieve another blanket and as soon as he returned he smiled at Loki, stretched out the blanket and gently placed it over him. Thor then grabbed the pillow that Loki had been hugging and placed it between his head and the padded chair while smiling. Loki returned the smile and relaxed his body now that he was assured he could stay in the room.

"Should I leave the light on?" Thor asked as he placed his hand on Loki's head.

"If it is no bother to you, I would prefer it on."

Thor nodded silently and placed one pillow on the floor in front of the chair and sat down on it as he leaned against the chair. After wrapping himself with his blanket he propped the other pillow behind his head and sighed contently as he looked up at his brother who was smiling down at him as his heavy eyelids began to fall. "Sleep well, brother."

Loki moved his right hand and let it drop over Thor's shoulder lazily and grabbed a small amount of his hair and held on to it as he continued to smile at Thor. As Thor returned the smile Loki sighed contently and said, "Good night, my brother."

As usual Bruce, Jan and Hank were up and fixing breakfast, of all the people in the house they were the only ones who were able to walk around a kitchen without setting something on fire or completely destroying a meal. As they finished the food the other members made their way into the dining room near the living room of the third floor. Their slow, wobbly steps chased the smell of waffles, coffee, juice and assorted fruits.

Usually there were eight plates set at the table; there should have been seven plates since T'Challa was away in Wakanda handling a personal manner but he was not due back for another four days. Clint sighed at the eighth plate, he knew exactly who would be joining them for breakfast that morning and as irritated as he was he also remembered telling Tony and Steve he would adjust his attitude. So he sat down, closed his eyes and was determined to enjoy his breakfast without it being ruined.

A loud knock at the door startled Loki awake. He uncovered his head and looked towards the door sort of looking to see if he really did hear a knock. After a few seconds there was another knock on the door but this time Bruce spoke up.

"Hey, Loki? Breakfast is ready. Go wash up and meet us at the table, 'kay?"

Loki blinked three times and then turned to his side. Thor was gone so he turned back to the night stand and saw it was 9:02 in the morning.

"Thor awake before me? Now _that_ is impressive." He muttered under his breath as he slowly stood up and made his way into the room next to Thor's which was his. He felt a little shame as he quickly walked down the hall realizing he had spent the rest of the night sleeping in his brother's room. Two grown men practically cuddling each other like prepubescent girls. The shame doubled when Bruce came directly to Thor's room and called out his name instead of Thor's.

"_I don't care."_ Loki thought as he walked into his bathroom to clean up to go have some breakfast.

"So I heard that noise again and as I kept walking I swear I thought I was going to scream!" Steve was telling the group a story from when he was just a child and in doing so managed to light up the table with some laughter. Everyone had finally gathered at the table and was eating breakfast, all except for one person.

"Good morning!" Steve said as he cut his story short when he saw Loki shyly walking up to the group. The rest of the group greeted him and ushered him to join them.

He stood still for a few seconds analyzing each of their faces and when he saw they were all staring back he lowered his gaze, crossed his arms over his chest and slowly made his way to the empty seat between Thor and Jan. As soon as he sat down he looked at the food and in a soft tone said, "Good morning."

Everyone smiled and nodded, safe for Clint, and continued to eat. After a single bite from the waffles Loki lowered his utensils and added, "And thank you for breakfast." This time his tone was a little louder but not by much. Bruce, Jan and Hank looked up at him and then at each other. They never asked for praise of any kind for fixing breakfast, lunch or dinner but it was a very pleasant thing to hear, to know their work was not overlooked.

Tony just could not help but smile wide and thanked them as well, followed by the rest of the group. It certainly brightened the room and even Clint smiled. After breakfast Tony and Bruce examined Loki's shoulder and after a few tests they concluded that his shoulder was as new as ever.

Loki's face dropped and he tried to hold in a shudder but Tony and Bruce noticed. Bruce placed a hand on his now healthy shoulder and said, "Hey, it's gonna be okay, Loki."

"Yeah, hey, it's not like your dad's gonna throw you in some dungeon, throw away the key and forget about you." At least that is what Tony hoped. In the time, however short it was, that Loki spent with them he had actually gained a place in their heart. Tony could not believe it but he went from hating Loki to actually being fond of him and he was sure he was not the only one to feel that way.

"Besides," Tony continued, "Thor said he would visit every day, and you know what? If Thor allows it, we'll tag along too!" Loki searched Tony's face for any signs of fallacy but was taken aback when he saw none and was reassured when Bruce nodded in agreement.

"Aw, the hell with it." Tony said as he smiled. "When your dad lets you go you are more than welcome to come back any time. Hate to break it to you, sport, but you actually have some friends here."

Loki's eyes widened and as he turned to Bruce he saw he was happily nodding. "Do you really mean that?"

"Every word."

Loki kept searching their eyes for a trace of a lie or some false sense of pity that made them say those words but in truth had no intention of keeping their promise but as much as he tried there was no indication that they were being dishonest.

"You know, you don't have to go back today. You can just relax here today and go tomorrow." Bruce suggested as he looked at Tony searching for approval. After all, it was his house.

Tony stopped to think for a minute and before speaking he tousled Loki's hair. "Yeah, hey, let's head on up to the pool and spend the entire day relaxing and at night we can watch some movies. Any movies you want to choose, sport."

As soon as they stepped out Tony and Bruce informed the group of the day's activities and like school children who had been told they did not need to leave for school they scrambled to their rooms to look for appropriate attire for the pool. Thor had already been introduced to the pool and what it was but Loki had never seen one up close. In his years in the library reading and doing research he came across information about Midgard regarding its history, development and other information. He knew most of the things the mortals used and what they were for. He had the theory well placed but the practice is what he lacked.

Still he enjoyed the day and to his surprise he found he actually laughed. He did not cackle with an evil tone, he just laughed and smiled. It was something Thor had not been a witness to in centuries and in turn it made him smile and laugh to see his brother genuinely happy. Thor actually began to question if what Loki had said about their father, The Warriors Three, Sif and the rest of Asgard was true.

In his mind he saw—he felt—that he and Loki were treated the same but now that he was watching how Jan, Steve, Tony, Hank, Bruce and even Clint now, who was actually talking to Loki, behaved around him and treated him he was shocked to see a very plain and clear contrast to what he thought was certain back in Asgard. Thor shuddered at the thought; it was an ugly, cold and heartbreaking thought.

"_Am I the only one in Asgard that actually loves him?"_

Thor shuddered at the very thought. He did not want to think of such a heartbreaking realization but unfortunately for him all the evidence was right before his eyes. His father hardly flinched after he pulled Thor up from the edge of the Bifrost and had seen his youngest commit suicide. Every ill word Thor's friends spoke of him, how they mocked him, and never bothered to listen, really listen to what he was trying to say.

The second he returned from his memories and finished analyzing everything he actually began to doubt if it was a good idea to return Loki to Asgard. He would be sending his youngest brother to the wolves. This sudden and welcome change in his heart and soul would surely die and Thor would have been the one to have caused his new found happiness to wither and die a horrible death.

"Thor!"

Thor's train of thought was interrupted by Loki who had been hovering over his face calling his name for a few minutes now. Thor shifted his sight to land on his brother's face and Jan who also hovered over him. Thor had been lying down by the edge of the pool on top of a long towel when that string of thoughts had consumed his attention. As his focus shifted on his brother he sheepishly smiled at him as he saw a smile plastered over his face and his wet hair messily decorated his face that housed green eyes so bright they were almost unnatural yet so full of life.

"Jan and I are heading into the kitchen to retrieve some things. Would you like anything, brother?"

"No need. Tony and I will gather some more drinks and food. I need to speak to Tony anyways."

"Suit yourself." Jan said and immediately pushed Loki back into the water and began to laugh uncontrollably even as Hank scolded her.

Thor sat up, stood up and looked for Tony who was conveniently sitting on a chair, relaxing and taking in the sun. Thor approached him and without saying a single word he shifted his eyes to the house and back to Tony who got the message. He stood up and both of them walked back into the kitchen. Thor had gone to the refrigerator to get some soda but was inclined not to look at Tony as he gathered the strength to say what was in his mind.

"So are you going to tell me what is bothering you or am I going to have to guess? I'll make this a game and you know I'll just end up being awkward." Tony playfully quipped.

Thor looked his friend in the eyes and Tony quickly saw he was not in a jesting sort of mood so he straightened himself out and approached Thor to see what was going through his friend's mind. Thor grabbed one of the soda liters and set it down on the counter as he sighed.

Tony was taken aback. Thor was the kind of person that would never hesitate to speak his mind, instead of waiting around he would grab his hammer and break through anything in order to get to the bottom of the problem. He was the first to march head on and face the problem but this was no Thor he had ever seen. This was Thor facing a problem he could not find a solution to.

Tony loved finding solutions. He was, as he repeatedly said, one of the best people around to solve any problems and if his friend needed help he was sure to try his best to help.

"Am I doing the right thing? I feel as I will be handing him over to rabid wolves that will bite instead of show any kind of sentiment towards him."

"Ah," Tony said, "Thor, I don't pretend to know what problems you and your family have but we have spoken a few times about what happened. How he threw himself off the bridge, how there was a feast. I don't pretend to know your father but from stories you have told us and even those Loki has talked of I can't help but feel that…" Tony paused, he wanted to be his snarky, no-filter-because-this-needs-to-be-said self but he wanted to tread carefully since he knew Thor loved his family and did not want to offend him but he also felt the doubt and worry within the Asgardian.

"Thor," Tony decided against fearing offending the Asgardian before him, "Thor, you were the favorite, you were the one who no matter how busy your dad was he would always make time for you. All those stories you have shared with us ever since the team was formed? Clear evidence to it. You were never treated as equals. Hell, your friends never even trusted him and he may have earned some of that alienation but it was instigated by your friends and family and it was through _their_ reactions that _his_ reactions grew worse. In their eyes you were the greatest thing to have ever existed. Him? I'd be surprised if he even ever received praise for at least one thing he ever did."

The massive Asgardian began to breathe heavily, his eyes searched Tony's. He wanted to tell him he was wrong but Thor had to face the fact that Tony was right. "How could I have been so blind?"

"Hey, don't blame yourself. Pat yourself in the back and know that of all the people up in Asgard at least you were and are still kind to him. In most ways you act like a better father than your actual father ever did. Why else would he have run up to your room last night after having a nightmare? Even as a grownup he still, subconsciously, looks to you as an authority figure, as a safe haven. Don't blame yourself, big guy. And if you really feel that Loki is in any danger when you get there tomorrow all you have to do is come back." Tony reassured with a warm smile. "This morning I told Loki that as soon as he was released he was more than welcome to come back."

Thor's face lit up as he heard those words. His fears were made solid and present before his very eyes. No one in Asgard had said anything of that sort to Thor after Loki had fallen. In all retrospect he was barely mentioned and when he was it was by mockery and insults of Frost Giants and traitors and monsters.

"Do you really mean this, Tony Stark?"

"I promise. Hey, the little bastard actually managed to get us to like him and I have a feeling he likes us as well."

Thor immediately hugged Tony who groaned a little as the giant Asgardian squeezed him, "Thank you! I am in your debt, my friend!" Thor's words were laced with such sincerity and such heart that Tony pushed down the lump that had gotten caught in his throat. After talking some more both of them returned to the pool area to enjoy the sun and water.

That night after watching several movies, they lost count after the sixth movie; they all retired to their rooms to rest for the night. However, Loki had sheepishly followed Thor to his room and as soon as he saw his brother in the doorframe he was more than happy to let him sleep over once more.

Loki seemed to have fallen asleep quickly but Thor was still plagued by uncertainty. He tried to fight it but he knew deep down that returning to Asgard was not the safest thing for Loki. Eventually sleep slithered its way to Thor and as he slept he also dreamt.

Thor opened his eyes and he was back in Asgard. It was strange to say the least, there was no one around and there was no sound at all. He tried to speak but no sound came from his throat. He then decided to walk back to the throne room to see if his parents were there but as soon as he arrived he found the great hall, which was usually teeming with life, empty.

Thor sighed deeply but as he turned to his side he saw Loki standing before the great golden doors leading outside. Thor quickly gave chase but Loki ran away. Thor tried to catch up but his bulkier frame was no match against Loki's smaller and slimmer frame when it came to speed. Eventually Thor caught up to Loki and saw he stood in the middle between dozens of Asgardians who jeered and at him and on the other side were his teammates ushering Loki to their side.

Thor looked at the scene before him and saw his brother was suddenly in chains and gagged. Tears streamed down his face as he desperately tried to reach for Tony and the others. Thor ran up to his brother and tried to break the chains but it was no use. He looked up at his brother with lament in his eyes as tears built up. Loki looked past his brother and onto his teammates, he then shifted his eyes to Thor's and then back to the mortals to which Thor now looked and saw a rip behind them.

One by one entered the rip, most likely returning to Midgard, but each of them had a sad look upon their face, even Clint. Thor was now breathing heavily and then he turned his gaze to his brother. He gently placed a hand on his pale cheek and placed his forehead on his. After a few minutes Loki urged him to follow the mortals but before doing so he placed a kiss on Loki's forehead.

Thor walked backwards, refusing to turn his back on his brother and the further away he got the more violent the crowd behind Loki became. They shoved him, punched him, hit him with clubs and spears but as much as Thor wanted to run to him the rip was pulling him through and seconds before being completely pulled in he reached out for Loki and Loki reached out to Thor.

Both of them crawled towards each other while extending an arm to try and grab one another. The despair in their eyes was equally agonizing and as much as Thor was yelling he could not hear anything. Tears fled both of their eyes and as soon as their fingers intertwined with the other's fingers they were both suddenly pulled away from each other.

Thor suddenly sat up on the bed. There were tears streaming down his face and in a move of disbelief Thor placed a hand on his cheeks and when he pulled his hand away it was wet. He looked up and saw Loki was still asleep. When he saw his brother slept so peacefully he could not help but cry as he lay his head back down and tightly hugged his brother's arm. Thor drew his arm close and continued to silently cry.

The following morning there was a somber atmosphere engulfing the mansion. No one laughed; no one made jokes or jabs or ribbed anyone. Breakfast was awkward and lunch was uncomfortable, at best. There was a heavy and burdening feeling spread between the residents, shifting glances, shallow breathing, no words, no smiles, tears held back for the sake of maintaining a shaky balance.

Clint looked to the rest of his teammates, even he dared not to glance in Loki's direction much less Thor's. He felt no genuine need to glare at the god of lies, not when his eyes carried a tone of regret or even what he thought was sadness. Clint watched Loki's movements. They were clumsy, loose and lacking any effort. Usually Loki was one to sit up straight, never placed his elbows on the table, carefully cut his food in small pieces, as opposed to Thor who just stabbed his food with a fork and engulfed his meal in a single bite. It was like watching a cobra try to swallow an ostrich egg. Loki was well mannered and would always wait to swallow his food before speaking. Not even Jan was that articulate.

Clint looked at Loki sitting at the table between Jan and Thor. His left arm was ever so casually placed on the table, he was slouching, his face mere inches from the plate, the fork in his hand was loose and held awkwardly like he lacked even the energy to hold up a simple fork, his eyes wandered over the steak and mashed potatoes and salad, which remained barely picked at.

It was mostly sad, Clint had to admit it. Just yesterday he was in the pool with this individual and the rest of his friends having a good time. The Loki from yesterday was completely different from the Loki sitting a few feet down from him. How Clint wanted to hate that man, he even missed thinking about strangling him in his sleep to spare them all any future grief and rid the world of one more villain but that hate, to his own surprise, was absent.

Eventually Loki looked up and as if on cue looked to Clint. After locking eyes for a few minutes Clint no longer saw a supervillain bent on destroying the world or whatever it was villains so boldly stated they wanted to do nowadays. He saw a man in death row eating the last meal he will ever have. He saw a dying patient in a hospital bed as he slowly died alone. He saw a child abandoned on the side of the road left at the mercy of the world and whatever dangers it had to offer. He saw so much despair and hopelessness in those two sets of eyes, which looked down.

After the group finished eating lunch they gathered on the roof of the mansion to say their last good bye. Loki opened a rip big enough to transport his brother and himself back to Asgard. This time however, there were no chains on his ankles or wrists and no gag. As Loki lowered his trembling hand Thor caught it and Loki looked to his brother and Thor looked back in a gesture to let him know everything was going to be all right, even if the thunderer did not believe it.

Loki looked back at the group, he wanted to hide behind them, he actually felt the urge to beg and plead his brother not to return him to Asgard. He wanted to stay with his brother and the mortals where he felt safe and actually felt wanted and cared for.

He denied such pleads and swallowed any and all sorrow he felt. He knew he had to go through with this task if he ever wanted to return to Midgard. He knew that any future he could hope to have there solely depended in his completing his sentence in Asgard. It was an act of redemption from his part, or at least the start of it.

"Let us return home, brother." Thor said as he placed a hand on Loki's shoulder. "I swear to the very universe itself that I will stay to see you are not harmed." Loki simply nodded in silence.

As both Asgardians took several steps forward Loki grunted as he awkwardly shifted in his steps. He looked behind him and saw Jan had wrapped both arms around Loki's waist and buried her face on his back. The slightest sniffle escaped from her and in turn a gasp escaped from Loki. No one had ever wept for him. Not that he had ever seen.

After a few bittersweet minutes the rest of the group had actually come up and in what Thor perceived to be the single most surreal event he had ever witnessed in his life they had all circled his brother and embraced him in pats and hugs and reassurances that all will be well. Even Clint patted him in the back.

Loki in turn returned the affection and in the gentlest motion wiped away the tears from Jan's eyes and gave her and the rest of the group a small smile. He then turned his eyes on his brother and both Asgardians walked through the rip as it silently and slowly closed behind them.

The ever vigilant Hiemdall kept his eyes in and around the very fabric of existence. He barely knew of the word surprise or what it entailed. It was no wonder the towering god did not flinch when a rip solidified before his very eyes. He kept a close watch however, mostly because one of the two beings walking through the rip was not to be trusted.

As Thor and Loki walked through Thor raised a hand in a greeting gesture towards the watchful god to which Heimdall returned the gesture. Loki merely looked at Heimdall, not really giving a greeting, not scowling, not really doing much except for plainly looking at Heimdall. How Loki wished that the brave Heimdall had the gift of fortune telling. Maybe then he would feel more at ease to know how his father would react to seeing him once more.

Heimdall returned the gaze. He saw and heard everything. He knew everything. He reserved any judgment of the raven haired god and just observed.

As the duo proceeded to walk to the palace they froze in their tracks as Odin the god king approached them, the Warriors Three and Sif steadily behind him. A cold chill crept up Thor's back as he looked upon his father's face; it was laced with a fury Thor had never been witness to.

"Father, we have returned home." Thor said as he and his brother approached their father. Odin merely stared. That cold, indifferent stare that made Loki uncomfortable enough to actually feel like vomiting. Thor's greeting went unanswered as Odin looked beyond his sons. He gripped Grungnir tightly in his massive hand, tight enough to turn his knuckles white.

"No, Thor, _you_ have returned home." Odin said as he stared down at his children.

"Father?" Thor questioned.

"This is the home of Frigga, this is the home of Thor, and this is the home of Heimdall, the home of Odin, the home of the Warriors Three!" Odin roared as he approached the brothers with quick haste and fury. Thor quickly placed himself between his father and his brother acting as a protective shield.

"This, however, is no longer the home of Loki the trickster!" The god king's words bellowed throughout the brothers. Loki shut his eyes tightly as he hid behind Thor. He grabbed at Thor's crimson cape and buried his face in it hoping and praying his father was merely expressing built up anger and did not mean the words that so casually slipped through his lips.

"Father, please, reconsider your words. Loki has—"

"I have grown tired of this malicious, imprudent pup and his scandalous actions and ways! To create mischief in the name of harmless pranks is one thing but to scheme and plot against his own brother's life?! This I will not tolerate! I forbid this!" Odin, in his fury grabbed Thor's left upper arm and pulled him away, tossing him to the floor and exposing Loki. He then proceeded to grab Loki by the throat, and squeezed as tight as he could while lifting him off the ground.

As soon as Thor gathered himself he looked to Odin and shouted, "Odin, do not! Please, I beg of you!"

The pleads went unanswered or even acknowledged as Odin continued to rage at his youngest son. "If you will not react to kind and gentle words perhaps it is in rage that you will finally react!" Loki was struggling, mostly due to the fact that he could not breathe, not with Odin's massive hand so tightly clamped around his throat. As his father continued to yell he opened his eyes and tears fled his eyes as he looked to Thor.

Odin was surprised, however he kept his surprise internal as to not show any signs of flinching at the sight of his youngest weeping in pain, most likely both physical and emotional. Loki let out a cough and felt the pressure in his head tighten.

"Everything you whisper to lies in ruins eventually, you never care, and you never love. Everything around you, all around you is nothing more than an opportunity to benefit you and you never cease to think of the consequences of those beings you easily trample! No more, no more will your poison infect our home and our lives!" Odin squeezed his hand tighter and in his fury he slammed Grugnir on the half reconstructed bifrost. As Odin's hand clasped even tighter around his neck Loki tried to inhale but it was useless. Instead of air being supplied to his lungs all Loki managed was a gagging gasp and as Odin kept closing his hand around Loki's throat Loki kept grabbing the sleeve on the All-Father's arm.

"You no longer have a home here! You no longer have family! Bastardized by Jotunheim and now Asgard! Prince to no throne, heir to no one! You are no longer welcome here!" Odin's roaring words pierced through Loki and Thor as easily as any blazing spear or sword could. Thor protested even as the Warriors Three and Sif tried their hardest to contain him and hold him back. Loki no longer struggled.

Odin looked in his youngest son's eyes; tears still flowed even if everything behind them appeared dead. The vibrant green turned a dark hue and they simply dropped to the ground as he no longer moved. The only indication that he was still alive was the shallow breathing.

With his other hand the one eyed king created a rip behind Heimdall and as he carefully watched the watchful god he said, "Should Loki Odinson ever set foot in this kingdom ever again he is to be killed on sight."

"All-Father, he is your child!" Thor boomed in protest, unable to believe the order Odin gave. Even the Warriors Three and Sif gasped. Heimdall himself took a step back but acknowledged the king's order with a nod. Loki never reacted, safe for the thicker stream of tears free falling from his red stained eyes. Odin placed one last look into his youngest son's eyes and in one swift move he tossed Loki through the rip and without over thinking or glancing at anyone else Thor gave chase to find his brother. As Thor's cape vanished the rip closed behind him and Odin stood silently, watching where the rip was.

"Leave us." The All-Father instructed to the warriors behind him and as they bowed they shuffled casually away. Most likely to discuss the recent events they were witness to. Odin turned his gaze to Heimdall, his expression was devoid of any emotion or to the less talented it would have seemed that way. Odin's single pupil held more regret in it than his entire body could hold. Grungnir ever so slightly shook in his hands as he looked to the watchful god, quite possibly trying to find a way to say something. Heimdall beat him to it.

"May I speak freely, my liege?"

"I see no harm in it, brave Heimdall." Odin said as he watched the watcher.

"I see and hear everything; nothing escapes my eyes and ears. Not the sound of thundering feet in march for war. Not the sound of swords sharpening. No one can escape my wandering eyes, nor think to pass unnoticed past me. No silent assassin with hopes of victory. None escape my notice." Heimdall paused but for a minute before looking the All-Father in the eye. "I also see and hear other things, smaller things, things that go unnoticed. Like the sound of a heart slowly dying or seeing a body so overwhelmed with pain no amount of herbs or spells or medicine can offer any comfort. It is terrible to witness such an event."

Odin took in the words Heimdall so carefully chose and as they swirled around in his head he began to see what Heimdall was really trying to communicate. He slightly nodded and turned to return to his chambers.

"My king?" Heimdall asked and Odin froze in his tracks. "Does your last order still stand?"

"No. Not even the greatest amount of anger and fury could possibly sway me to have my own children butchered. But I will ask that you watch. No matter what happens I want a daily report of his doings no matter what they may be." With that the god king retrieved to his chambers and the watchful god returned to his post.


	10. You're Covered In Roses, You're Covered

**Note:  
**This chapter contains physical torture and it's kinda graphic.

**Chapter 10:**  
**You're Covered In Roses, You're Covered In Ruins**

When Thor returned to Midgard he materialized in front of Tony's mansion and as soon as he gathered his bearings he nearly knocked down the door as he tried to find his brother. He searched high and low and in every corner he could find until turning the entire mansion upside down. Eventually he remembered the disembodied voice of Stark's butler.

Thor looked about as if trying to find something to at least direct his voice to but he eventually gave up and said, "Jarvis, has my brother been in here?"

"My apologies, sir, he has not been here since you both left. Would you like me to contact Mr. Stark or anyone else?"

"Yes, please, with haste." Thor whispered as he looked to the roof as if speaking to some form of a celestial being. He never accustomed himself to speaking to Jarvis. He had no time to lose in idly thoughts, he knew Loki was not in a healthy state of mind and he feared any reaction that came from him. He also worried about him; he could not shake from his memory Loki's eyes as his father basically casted him out as if he was nothing more than a dog.

Thor figured that his teammates would return with haste at the dire news of recent events and running through California like a madman was not going to help the situation much less would it help find Loki in time before he did something or something happened to him. As uneasy as it made him feel he sat down in the middle of the room facing the front door and waited.

Seconds turned to minutes, twenty minutes passed, thirty minutes passed, forty-five minutes passed until Thor eventually lost track of time. The situation was looking dire indeed and the thunder god knew that the more time passed the greater the risk. It was a situation that called for patience and waiting and neither were choices he wished to participate in.

"So," Fury's tone matched his face, stripped of any emotion, "Came back for round two. Getting your ass kicked once wasn't enough for you?"

Now his tone was brandishing a mock with a hint of confidence and while Loki did not appreciate it he said and did nothing. He merely looked past Fury and the four ex-military brutes behind him. Their faces were adorned by smiles that made Loki feel uneasy and deep down he knew they were there for a specific reason but what that reason was he was unaware of. Yet he stared blankly into space as the events from some time ago replayed in his head. He remembered every word and even worse how they felt.

Fury had found Loki's behavior odd, he neither protested, spoke or tried to run away when he had been captured by the Black Widow. He had obediently walked in with her, his gaze never leaving the ground. Fury and Natasha just figured he was up to something, had a trick up his sleeve and so doubled the security in the building.

Fury got closer and examined Loki, his one eye fixated on Loki's red rimmed eyes, wondering if he had been actually crying or putting up a display of crocodile tears for show. In a low whisper the director said, "Why are you here?"

No response, at least not visible or auditory. The back of Loki's throat tightened and the underside of his eyes burned as tears formed.

"Where is your brother?"

"I don't know." Loki whispered.

"And your father?"

"He left me…" Loki answered with a shuddering breath as some tears fled. He was no longer able to hold back his tears especially at the mention of his brother and father.

"_Crocodile tears. Smug son of a bitch."_ Fury thought as he stood straight. He nodded as he tried his hardest to sustain his anger. He was sure Loki was up to something but just what that was he was not sure of but he was certainly going to find out.

"Get some answers," Fury ordered as he turned to the four brutes behind him. He turned to Natasha and added, "Follow me." Natasha nodded and followed Fury as he led her out of the small windowless and miserable looking cell.

As soon as the door closed and they heard a loud clanking noise, the door being locked, the four brutes approached and circled Loki. One of them, a tall and muscular man with red hair, brown eyes and a thick Irish accent grabbed Loki's hair and tugged at it down so his green eyes could meet his brown eyes.

A smile formed on the man's face as he traced the trail of falling tears on Loki's face, "Oh, lad," the Irish man said, "You wouldn't want to be wastin' any tears." The Irish man let go of Loki's hair and a sharp pain exploded over the back of his head. Loki let out a groan and swayed sideways but soon lost control of his knees and hit the ground hard. His vision was fading but before he blacked out the red haired man slammed his fourteen sized boot on Loki's neck and coldly said, "Not _yet_ anyways."

A freezing splash of water woke Loki up. He jerked his head sideways and coughed as wet hair dripped in front of his face and he focused on the four men in front of him. The ringleader placed a cigar in his mouth and knelt down on one knee in front of Loki. As soon as Loki met his eyes the man lowered his cigar and blew some smoke at Loki's face.

Loki held his breath as the smoke cleared. As soon as it did he tried to move his arms but found he could not. Loki slightly shifted and focused on his surroundings. He was sitting on a wooden chair, his hands had been tied behind his back but not to the chair, the cuffs had been tightened so much Loki could feel as the cold metal dug into his wrists. His coat and boots had been removed and placed in the corner of the small cell. As his eyes wildly searched the area the ringleader stood up and chuckled.

"You know," said the ringleader, "We were ordered by Fury to question you, kind of slap you around if we thought you were lying. Usually we interrogate people but sometimes we get to have some _real_ fun and we get to do some seriously sick shit but we never get to push the envelope. Something about uh, human rights."

The man inhaled some smoke from the cigar and exhaled as he spoke, "You bein' here in our care is a delight, sunshine. Now we get to play and we have no need to hold back because you're not _human_. So yes, we will be askin' you some questions but we'll be doin' it _our_ way, sweetness." He turned around to face the men and said, "Axle, get the black box."

Loki let out a quiet gasp which the ringleader heard and a smile formed on his face. Two of the brutes left the room, most likely to retrieve the item they were ordered to fetch. The remaining man approached the leader and spoke, a similar yet different accent on his lips, "How do you want to start, Gage?"

"Let's start with a little foreplay." Gage taunted as he passed a hand on Loki's face. Loki shuddered as he pulled away from Gage's hand and the uneasy feeling he felt from the touch. Gage chuckled as did the other man.

Gage stood up and walked over to an operating table slightly behind Loki. Loki turned to see where the man had gone but he could only see with the corner of his eye. Gage shifted several metallic items but Loki was not able to see what they were. When Gage approached Loki's eyes drifted to the man's hand and saw a metallic blood stained tool, bloodied for the effect of instilling fear on their victims. It was working.

Gage moved to kneel behind Loki and he roughly pulled his bound arms down. He opened his hand forcefully and tightly gripped Loki's right thumb. The other man held Loki down by his shoulders, digging his fingers into his shoulders painfully.

Loki began to tremble as he felt a cold pressure digging under the nail of his thumb. He gasped loudly as the tool clamped down on and under the nail.

"Are you plotting another attack on Earth? Is that why you're here?" The other man asked loudly as he sunk his fingers deeper into his shoulders.

Loki took a deep breath and quavered, "No, I'm not."

Gage looked up at the other man and asked, "You buy that Jake?" His tone was mocking.

"I would but…" Jake turned to Loki and in a sing-song screeching voice added, "Aren't you Loki god of mischief and lord of lies?"

Loki slowly turned his head and glanced hatefully at his captors. It was not because they did not believe him, he knew holding the title of "god of lies" would render him as untrustworthy. It was the mocking that made his blood boil and his eyes turn feral.

Gage and Jake looked at each other in amusement and Jake said, "That looks like hostility, Gage."

"And we don't like hostility, do we, Jake?" Added Gage.

"No, we don't, Gage."

Gage pressed the tool and with all his strength pulled and ripped about a quarter of Loki's thumb nail. At the same time Loki groaned in pain. He was damn sure not going to let them hear him screaming in pain since that seemed to be their goal. After groaning he frantically yelled out, "I'm telling the truth! I'm not lying!"

"How are we going to believe you when every word out of your mouth is a lie?"

"I have no reason to lie!" Loki shouted.

Gage grabbed the tool and placed it under Loki's index finger's nail and ripped it out. Loki was trying to hold back a scream but he was failing. The groan that he let out was beginning to sound like a scream. Eventually Gage ripped out the rest of the nails from his right hand and by the time he had ripped out his pinky's nail Loki had given up trying to portray a strong front and resorted to groaning loudly in pain. Unfortunately the groans were an invitation for the man to step up the game. He rose once more and made his way to the operating table to drop the tool and grabbed a pipecutter. He chuckled to himself as he made his way back to Loki only this time he went right to the torture instead of asking questions.

Gage grabbed Loki's left hand and placed his thumb between the sharp jaws of the pipecutter and squeezed with all his might. The pain sent a sharp shock all over his body. As the tool cut through his flesh Loki let out heavy breaths through his nose as he squinted his eyes shut. The more Gage squeezed the heavier Loki breathed. Now using both hands Gage squeezed even harder and as the jaws reached the bone Loki let out shuddering moans which escalated in volume though he tried his best not to scream but it was futile to deny himself to scream from the agonizing pain. As the bone cracked Loki let out a loud jagged whimper followed by screams as the jaws met in the middle once again and blood poured out from his hand. His body trembled and between gasping breaths he made the mistake of using threats to stand his attackers down.

"I'll kill you! I will turn you to ash and destroy your souls! I'll—"

Before the cascade of threats could continue Gage used the pipecutter and hit Loki on the left side of his face and for the time being the Asgardian quieted down safe for the shuddering breaths coming from him. After Gage was done Loki was afraid he would move onto his other fingers or worse but Gage tossed the tool on the floor in front of Loki. When he laid his eyes on the tool he swallowed hard when he saw the fresh blood. His blood.

"Why are you here?" Jake drawled as he leaned on the operating table while crossing his arms over his chest. Loki had not even noticed when he had let go of his shoulders.

"I was banished…" Loki merely whispered. Those words stung him.

"We can't hear you, love. You'll have to speak louder." It was now Gage's turn to taunt.

"I was banished." The sting turned into a burn as Loki repeated the words slightly louder.

"Louder!" Gage had leaned down and screamed into Loki's left ear causing him to flinch.

Loki inhaled as he tried to steady himself in order to repeat the sentence, "I was banished! I can't go home, I have no home!"

"So that means that daddy can't save you now, and it also means that your brother doesn't know where you are either." Gage's tone lowered. "How very interesting."

Gage placed one of his gloved hands on Loki's face and in a defiant display Loki shrugged back and hissed, "Don't touch me!"

Gage's eyebrows met in the middle and as his eyes narrowed he grabbed Loki's throat and squeezed as he said, "I'll do whatever the fuck I want to do to you!"

As Gage let go Jake walked up to Loki. His eyes flew up to the cordless drill roaring in Jake's hand. At that moment Loki began to breathe heavily as he kept an eye on the drill. Jake left his finger on the trigger as he lowered the drill down to Loki's left thigh. Loki began to breathe more erratically and Jake just stared as he slowly drove the drill into Loki's thigh.

The scream from Loki was deafening and it got louder as Jake moved the drill in and out of the injury. This went on for about twenty minutes and as much as he wanted to beg for mercy Loki would not. Not out of some misplaced sense of pride but because he knew it would not matter to these butchers.

Eventually Jake drilled into Loki's other thigh and then moved onto his hip. When the drill hit the bone Jake leaned his entire body weight into the drill causing Loki to scream at the top of his lungs. By this time tears were involuntarily falling from his eyes, he was breathing unevenly and the pain was causing his body to tremble.

Jake removed the drill as Gage came up to Loki with a small cup and a bigger cup containing a liquid of some sort. Gage held the cup up to Loki's lips and he sniffed the liquid. It was sweet, far too sweet. The other larger cup seemed to contain water.

"Open your mouth." Gage barked loudly but Loki slowly shook his head.

Jake revved up the drill a few times as he drew it close to Loki's left eye. When the drill stopped Loki saw blood and bits of flesh on it. He gave out a horrified gasp.

"Either you open your mouth or I'll drill your eyes out." Jake ordered as he drew the drill closer but Loki obeyed.

Gage grabbed Loki's chin and lowered his jaw as he tilted his head back and poured the liquid into Loki's mouth. As soon as the overly sweet tasting material was swallowed Gage then made Loki swallow the cup of water. After ten minutes Gage and Jake took several steps back and several seconds later Loki leaned forward and vomited. Loki had been fed a couple of ounces of ipecac syrup. As the vomiting ceased the door opened and the other two brutes walked in accompanied by a black box.

The two men placed the box on the operating table and Gage and Jake joined them. After a few minutes of tinkering one of them, a tall heavy set man, with brown hair and dark blue eyes approached Loki. He had on some surgical gloves and in his hand he held a syringe with a clear liquid sloshing around inside.

The man leaned in and slowly pushed the needle into Loki's neck. As he did the man spoke, a very heavy Ukrainian accent in his voice, "This is Fosamax. Medication for treating , very _ineffective_. Doctors thought it was good but seven out of ten patients experienced severe bone, joint and muscle pain all over body. We add drug to make sure ten out of ten experience agonizing body pain."

When the man finished talking he roughly removed the syringe and walked back to the table. Loki just watched while a whimper escaped his throat. Jake turned around and revved up the drill and as he drew closer Loki began to hyperventilate and whimper loudly. As Jake approached Loki began to thrash as much as he could in the chair. With one hand Jake held down Loki's right leg and with the other drove the drill into his knee. Loki continued to thrash but now he was screaming.

Thankfully this lasted about eleven seconds but when Jake moved back Gage came up to him with the same cups as before only this time they were overflowing. Gage pulled Loki's hair back and emptied the cups into Loki's mouth and as soon as he swallowed the water Gage pressed his hand on Loki's mouth and held it in place.

The vomit had nowhere to go and as Loki chocked on it Gage laughed. "Feel that? That's what feeling helpless is like." As if Loki had never felt helpless before, though he would never admit it. "That feeling is the same feeling all of your victims felt."

"Alexei, is it ready?" Jake called out.

"Yes, it is."

As Loki chocked on his own vomit his thrashing slowed so Gage removed his hand and Loki coughed the vomit out. It landed all over him, the chair and the floor. Loki continued to cough and as soon as he stopped he lowered his head and closed his eyes. His breathing never slowed down and even if it was not noticeable his blood pressure was dangerously high.

Natasha stared on as she felt her stomach drop. There was something about the situation that made her feel uneasy. It was a mixture of having found Loki walking down the sidewalk in the middle of the day as if he had been merely taking a stroll to clear his head, having brought him in so easily without a fight or a struggle; he never even said a word. This second thought was null and void because when they first dealt with him he had voluntarily been captured but it was to get closer to Bruce but Bruce was nowhere near them. She deduced that being easily captured was not part of any plan; she even went as far as to think he had no plan. Still she was cautious; this was a man she or anyone else could not trust.

What really stuck out was the look in his eyes, or the feeling they gave out and all she read over his eyes and face was utter devastation. As soon as her debriefing with Fury had been over and she left the room she reached for her phone and dialed a number. After a few rings a man answered but Natasha was still searching for the right words.

"I'm a little busy, Nat. What's up?" Clint had answered.

"Clint…we found something."

"Found what?" There was a long pause as Natasha tried to gather her thoughts. She was still unsure of why she had called Clint in the first place.

"I…SHIELD just captured someone and I think you should know who it is."

Loki had been placed on top of the operating table. Jake and Gage were holding Loki's legs down while Axle held him down by his shoulders and Alexei hovered over his midsection. Alexei made a deep and wide laceration across Loki's stomach with a scalpel. The stinging sensation was not so terrible but the pain, which was accentuated by the Fosamax, was beyond anything he had ever expected. Loki took deep breaths as Alexei put the scalpel aside.

Alexei looked at Loki as he hovered a hand above the fresh cut. In one swift move Alexei inserted three gloved fingers into the laceration and Loki thrashed about wildly and yelled in pain. After the initial yell he took deep gasps but found it difficult to breathe.

"Are you planning another attack?" Gage asked.

"No!" Loki gasped, "No, I'm not!"

Alexei drove his hand deeper into the wound until he felt an organ beneath his fingers. He dug deeper until he was able to grasp said organ, his stomach, and squeezed and Loki screamed as loud as he could.

"Why do you insist on lying? It'll only make things worse, lad."

"I'm not lying!" Loki yelled. His voice was now hoarse from screaming, "For once in my life I'm telling the truth!"

Alexei kept squeezing and Loki kept screaming in pain. After a few minutes Axle let go of Loki's shoulders and retrieved to the end of the operating table where the equipment was and came back with yet another cup of ipecac syrup and water. Loki ingested the syrup and water as he heard the drill power up once more.

There was nothing left in his stomach so the vomit consisted of the syrup and stomach acid which burned his throat and mouth when it was expulsed.

It turned into a routine. They made him drink the syrup and after he would vomit they used the drill on him and this continued for about forty minutes until they ran out of syrup. The questions stopped as well and it had turned only into torture even after they had been told not to go so far.

As soon as the syrup was finished Gage grabbed a roll of duct tape and walked towards Loki. He ripped out a piece and slapped it over Loki's mouth as he said, "If you think chocking on your own vomit was bad then you ain't seen nothing yet, sunshine." Gage's tone turned dark as he grabbed Loki by the throat and slid him off the table. When Loki hit the floor he had the wind knocked out of him and a loud and pained whimper was heard coming from him but it just made the four men laugh.

Loki was dazed but still conscious. He saw Gage approach him with something small and metallic in his hand but he could not make out what it was. Gage bent down and grabbed Loki by his hair and sat him up so they could face each other.

"This is from every single person you killed."

What Loki heard next was almost alien. He heard a solid thud and a sudden excruciating pain washed over him. He looked down and saw a long scalpel buried into his chest, over his right lung. Loki tried to take a deep breath but found it not only agonizingly painful but almost impossible. He could only manage small gulps which were not enough to supply him with enough air, especially in his state of panic.

When Gage let go of his hair Loki fell back and as he hit the ground his eyes went wide as he thought, _"Is this what he felt?"_ He was obviously thinking of Coulson and how this agonizing pain must have been what the mortal felt when he had been run through with the business end of the staff. It was agonizing.

Everything slowed down and muted. He barely noticed when Gage pulled the scalpel out, much less noticed when the four men had gathered and then approached him with pipes, bats and wrenches. He merely laid there with his eyes staring at the ceiling, thinking about each of his victims, writhing in pain while thinking and lamenting every action he had taken.

For the next ninety minutes he was savagely beaten as he lay on the floor, accepting the brutally as his comeuppance. He felt the muscles bruise and swell, felt flesh part and bones crack and not once did he protest or attempted to defend himself. They used the bats, the pipes and the wrench occasionally kicking him, especially over the stomach and chest. The blows were not enough it seemed, the four men also took to screaming at him, telling him he deserved everything that had been done to him, mocking him, and screaming that his father was right to throw him out. Loki eventually passed out from the pain especially after the blow to the back of his head with the plumber wrench.

There was a storm brewing, fitting to Thor's mood but it was not his doing. About two hours after he had arrived the front door swung open and Steve and the rest of the team barged in. Steve knelt beside his friend as soon as he saw the look on Thor's face and placed a hand on his shoulder as he calmly said, "Is everything okay? We got a call from Jarvis but we were pinned down and couldn't make it out till now."

"No, my friend," Thor's tone was unusually calm but somber, "All is not well."

The rest of the group came towards Thor to consul him; he looked ill at ease and troubled. Tony dragged a chair over to Thor and sat down next to the god of thunder. "Come on, big guy, what happened? You can tell us."

"Father…has banished Loki from Asgard. He was disowned and cast out. We were never even given the opportunity to speak our minds and no matter how much I protested he insisted on casting him out. Forever." The group remained quiet mostly due to being stunned by Thor's words.

"Father has also made it law that if Loki should ever return he would be put to death." Thor continued and the group protested. Clint himself was uneasy by what Thor was speaking but the blow to the chest came when the thunderer described how Loki reacted and how his own father screamed hate filled words at him as he strangled him out of anger.

Clint was going to ask something but his cell phone began to ring, reminding him he had a voice mail. While taking care of a problem in northern California he had received a call from Natasha but she had been cryptic about something. Eventually he had hung up the phone before she could finish and after hanging up she called once more but this time leaving a very detailed message. Clint backed away from the group and checked the message.

"So where's Loki?" Bruce asked as he looked to the Asgardian, genuine concern splashed across the good doctor's face. Thor silently shook his head as he lowered his gaze, trying to hold back a flurry of emotions.

"I know where he is."

Everyone in the room turned to Clint who stood before the group holding his cell phone close to his ear and a wild look in his eyes. Thor's eyes widened, neither in joy nor hope but in fear. "I know where he is. Tony, Steve, Bruce and I will go get him. The rest of you should stay here."

The room erupted in protests and questions and Clint would normally answer and concede but he knew Thor would kick in those overprotective instincts and would surely break a skull or two if he knew where his brother was. Clint raised his arms and waved them over his head as if to get the crowd's attention.

"Guys, please, I know you all want to go, and especially Thor but I _really_ suggest the rest of you stay here. Thor, please, listen to me. Going there won't help the situation. We'll bring your brother back here, I promise, stand by me on this."

Thor wanted to protest but if it meant it would bring Loki back to him safely he was willing to rely on Clint. The thunderer agreed and the rest of the group agreed to stay behind as well. Clint led Tony, Steve and Bruce outside but told Tony to get a car. They were not going to go far and before Tony could turn to get his suit Clint told him to leave the suit behind.

Once outside and away from the ears of Thor Tony told Bruce to bring around one of the more spacious cars and then turned to Clint. "Why can't Thor know where Loki is and why can't he come with us?"

"It's…just better if he doesn't know who has him." Clint said.

"_Where_ is he?" Tony questioned in a serious tone. He hated being told half-truths and hated even more when people withheld information from him.

"Not far but we have to get him out of there _now_."

SHIELD was a lot of things and it surely painted a pretty and false picture of what it really was when it was of a convenience to them. They liked to portray a heroic picture of themselves while preaching peace and order but to those few who worked closely with them it was a fallacy of the worst kind. In truth SHIELD was a rabid, mangy wild dog posing as a house pet and once you were close it would close its jaws around its prey and it would use anyone until they fulfilled whatever task they needed.

SHIELD was no stranger to using questionable tactics when it came to dealing with their enemies and it did not stop them from lacking some humanity when dealing with interrogations. This was no surprise especially since they treated their allies with less class than the mob would treat anyone else.

Tony drove the car as fast as he could now that he knew where they were headed. He was furious. He and the rest of the Avengers wanted to stay as far from them as possible. The fact that their superiors unleashed a nuclear weapon on a city populated with innocent civilians was enough evidence to let them know SHIELD was not to be trusted. Not to mention that they lied to them and were in fact creating weapons of mass destruction.

How could they possibly be trusted to handle a man who had been on the verge of a meltdown?

Tony pulled up into the sidewalk of a tall building. It had no logo, no distinctive colors nor design but yet it reeked of SHIELD. If that was not enough, the suits with the flow of "CIA spooks" walking in and out of the building would suffice. A guard walked up to Tony as he turned the car off and proceeded to walk to the back of his car and opened the trunk.

"Sir, you can't park on the sidewalk." The guard ushered in a rushing tone but Tony was not having any of it. He removed a crowbar from the car and handed it to Steve who caught it and followed Clint and Bruce while Tony closed and locked his car.

Tony then followed his friends towards the building but the guard kept chasing after Tony protesting but Tony turned to face the pudgy man and in a serious tone said, "Shut up! And if that car is towed while I'm in there I will find you and throw the Hulk at you." He barked as he pointed to Bruce who was now entering the building. That was enough to get the guard to back away quietly.

Clint led the group inside the building and walked past a receptionist behind a desk who acknowledged Clint with a single nod. Anger echoed in their footsteps as they walked past several people who looked at them in puzzlement but they had no time for it. They never even stopped as some guards tried to stop them as they entered an elevator.

Once the elevator stopped they rushed past the doors with haste. Steve figured they were in some sort of basement but he was not interested in knowing exactly where they were, he just needed to get to Loki before something unfortunate would happen. They kept walking forward until Clint stopped to speak to a woman. Her short fiery hair spun around as she laid eyes on Tony, Steve and Bruce. She seemed surprised to have seen the three of them behind Clint but she said, "We found him wandering around the streets so naturally we brought him in for questioning."

"You wouldn't happen to have done anything _else_, would you?" Tony jabbed as he kept a stoic expression. Oddly enough the same expression Bruce and Steve had. Natasha found it odd but she divulged the information nonetheless.

"No. Director Fury's instructions were to get information from him not to harm him." Her voice trailed off as if to end the conversation there but foolishly added, "Not severely anyways."

That was all Tony needed to hear, his pace picked up and demanded to know where they were keeping him. Natasha informed him that he was being kept in a small cell at the end of the long hallway. Steve, Tony and Bruce picked up the pace further but Clint and Natasha remained in a calm pace. As far as they were concerned Loki deserved whatever had happened to him.

"_He was doing so well!"_ Tony thought to himself. He was angry about what Thor had told them and was angry that SHIELD had gotten their hands on Loki. It felt as if the universe was dead set on not sparing Loki any grief much less give him a proper chance to heal.

Steve reached the cell first, he knew the door would be locked but he could not help pushing it to see if it would budge anyways. Steve quickly turned to Tony who nodded so Steve took the crowbar and slammed it between the door and the frame. He pulled with all his might, Tony and Bruce helped as well. Eventually the door gave in and Tony pushed it open but as soon as they stepped inside they took a step back as they covered their noses and looked around.

The small cell reeked of vomit and blood and as soon as their eyes adjusted to the dim light they could see the wooden chair in the middle. There was blood all over the chair and upon further inspection they could see some vomit as well. Bruce tapped Steve on the shoulder and when Steve turned around he saw Bruce pointing at the floor. There were dozens of puddles of bloody vomit on the floor and splatters of blood as well.

Tony gasped when he saw the operating table and some blood dripping down to the floor. Panic was starting to build up inside them. The vomit was a bad sign, the bloody vomit was worse but the amount of blood on the floor, table, chair and even walls was unnerving.

"Guys!" Bruce shouted as he ran to the operating table. Bruce sat on his knees and placed both hands on the floor as he leaned forward. Steve and Tony joined them while Natasha and Clint waited by the door. Both of their eyes went wide at the sight of the blood but they remained behind in case they needed to spring into action quickly.

Loki had somehow managed to crawl under the operating table, most likely to hide. He sat with his back against the wall and his knees pressed against his chest. They saw his eyes were closed so Bruce placed a hand on Loki's right knee and slightly shook him while calling him. "Loki? Come on, wake up."

When Bruce pulled his hand away he saw it was stained with blood. He gasped loudly but before they could react Loki let out a groan and slowly opened his eyes. Bruce slowly reached his hand to remove the tape from Loki's mouth but as his hand approached Loki's eyes went wide and he jerked back in fear as he whimpered.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's us." Bruce retracted his hand and held both hands up in surrender as he kept whispering, "Hey, it's me, Bruce. Remember?"

Tony and Steve moved up to try and roll the table away so they could reach Loki. Tony grabbed one end of the table as he looked down at Bruce and signaled to Loki and then at the table. Bruce got the message clearly so he turned to Loki once more and confided, "You're okay, we're not gonna hurt you." Bruce leaned in and looked Loki in the eyes making sure to keep Loki's eyes fixated on him so he would not be startled as Tony and Steve rolled the table away.

"Everything will be okay. We're going to get you out of here and take you back home. Thor's at home waiting for you; he's worried sick about you. So are Jan and Hank."

As the table was rolled away the light from the ceiling made it possible to see the damage. Bruce carefully removed the tape as gently as he could and as he did he could feel as Loki trembled. Bruce's eyes surveyed the damage, which was plenty, his nose was broken, bottom lip was split, and both eyes were blackened. His face was bruised badly and he was bleeding from his nose and the gash on his bottom lip. He also noticed he was breathing strangely as if he was barely getting any oxygen into his lungs. There was also a small puddle of blood forming beneath him.

"Oh, my God." Tony exclaimed as he quickly turned to Natasha, his eyes were burning with anger. "You said he was only going to be questioned!" When Tony shouted Loki lowered his head, most likely flinching at the volume of Tony's voice.

"He was! It was nothing intense, nothing he wouldn't be able to handle!" Natasha retorted, a hint of annoyance in her voice. Yet part of her was concerned because the amount of blood in the room suggested Loki had been tortured. Badly.

"Oh! Well, excuse me, but does _that_ look like nothing _intense_ to you?!" Tony pointed at Loki and Natasha followed his hand. When she laid her eyes on Loki she frowned. Fury had ordered them to get some answers out of him not to torture him. This was unnecessary and pointless especially when he had walked in without causing any problems.

Clint leaned in as well and saw the wreckage. When he had walked in he had a smirk on his face but as soon as he saw Loki the color drained from his face as did the smirk. He could not look away much less believe what he was seeing. He figured Fury had sent in some big lug to slap him around a bit in order to get some answers and while he surely would have been aggravated he would have just walked away with a bruised pride and maybe some sore cheek bones. This shocked Clint to the point where he found himself slowly walking towards Loki to see the damage himself. It was then he had looked around and really took notice of the amount of blood and vomit on the floor.

Steve knelt in front of Loki and he stretched out a hand but Loki let out a shuddering whimper as he backed away from Steve's hand. Steve frowned as he backed his hand away and tried his hardest not to imagine what he had gone through in order to react that way towards people he knew were not going to hurt him.

"It's okay, we just want to get you out of here and take you home." Steve said gently. He reached for his shirt's sleeve and ripped it off. Once again he reached out to Loki but this time Loki did not back away. He slightly flinched as Steve wiped away some of the blood from under his nose. As he did Steve could not help but imagine what sort of horrors he had gone through.

Bruce turned to Loki, he tried to focus all of his attention on him but it was difficult with Tony and Natasha arguing loudly, Clint just standing there in disbelief and Steve most likely reliving memories from the war. It was a disaster. Bruce was beginning to feel that uncomfortable push in his core and it was a bad sign, he closed his eyes and as if negotiating with the Hulk he whispered to himself as he closed his eyes, "We need to remain calm. We _have_ to get him out of here and somewhere safe. He's hurt badly and you wrecking the building will not help. I know you're angry and you want out. But please, I implore you, let _me_ handle this one."

Somewhere in the back of Bruce's head he heard a passive grunt, an agreeing grunt from the Hulk and he immediately opened his eyes, an inner victorious smile shun inside him. However, the feeling fled when he heard a broken and low voice begging.

"Not…him…please…"

It was Loki, apparently Bruce's eyes had changed and when Loki saw he began to panic and with good reason. The last time he had interacted with the Hulk he had been smashed into the ground. Bruce frowned at the sound of Loki's broken and sobbing voice but soon his eyes softened and a warm smile made its way to his face as he placed a hand on top of Loki's head. "He wouldn't have hurt _you_."

"Enough!" Bruce screamed and the rest of the room quieted down, "Natasha, whether we have your consent and help or not we're _going_ to get Loki out of here. He's hurt badly, he's bleeding all over the place and I sure as hell don't like the way he's breathing and I'm pretty damn sure all the vomit on the floor was his. Tony, get to the car and fix the front passenger seat so he can lie comfortably in it. Clint, we need the keys for these handcuffs, go get them. Natasha _if_ you do want to help go with Clint and help him search for some keys, otherwise get the hell out of the way. Steve, help me lift Loki off the floor. We're _leaving_!"

Tony could not help but smile ever so brightly, he perceived Bruce as a quiet and shy individual and to see him take the reins so passionately without the Hulk barging in and demanding control was an admirable sight to behold. Usually he would not take kindly to being told what to do but Bruce was right, the only thing that mattered at the moment was getting Loki somewhere safe and he had to admit he felt a strange sense out of watching Bruce walking tall with an air of confidence he had only seen the Hulk portray. He obeyed and quickly left to start the car and fix the seat.

Clint snapped out of his trance, yes, he still felt hatred, though not as strong as before, towards Loki but what had been done to him was uncalled for to say the least. He knew where he could find some keys so he rushed out as quickly as possible.

Natasha was not going to argue and stop them, she was outnumbered and not by the amount of people in the room but by the Hulk. She nodded and went after Clint to help make the search easier and to admittedly retrieve the security tape from the cameras from the cell. She knew full well that everything that had gone on in that cell had been recorded and she wanted to—needed to—know what went on.

Bruce turned to Steve who was standing over Loki and gently patting him on the head, most likely reassuring him that all was going to be all right. Both had to wait until Clint and Natasha would return with the keys to the handcuffs before they could move Loki and so they waited.

While they waited Bruce examined Loki further, his main concern was the wet wheezing sound he made whenever he inhaled. Every so often he would cough and his face would contort in pain as he did. Bruce was putting the symptoms together and he did not like what it was pointing to. They were symptoms a person with a collapsed lung displayed and in his head he was already making note of all the materials he would need to treat Loki.

"Steve, call Hank and make sure he's alone when you talk to him and tell him to make sure the medical room is prepped." The concern in Bruce's voice startled Steve.

"Is he okay?" Steve felt the question was ridiculous but Bruce would have to forgive him for it since he had no medical knowledge beyond what he was taught during the war which was no more than basics.

"No, he's _not_ okay."

At that particular moment Clint and Natasha walked in. Clint rushed over to where Loki sat with the keys in his hands. Steve and Bruce slowly and carefully lifted Loki up and once he stood up they had to hold him steadily. His knees and feet were swaying and as he stood he groaned loudly. Clint circled around him while fumbling the keys in his hands. He had heard Bruce's reply to Steve and figured time was not on their side. When he managed to finally get the handcuffs unlocked he tossed them aside and saw the bruised and swollen hands.

Clint grabbed one of his hands and slowly lifted it up so Bruce could see. When Bruce saw he was clearly angry.

"They were on really tight, his hands are swollen." Clint informed as he lifted one of Loki's arms while swinging it over his shoulders to help keep Loki standing and moving. Bruce did the same as well and as he looked at his other hand he realized something.

"He could have superficial radial nerve damage. At least of all the injuries he has that one isn't as serious."

Natasha had gone to the corner to grab Loki's belongings and to hide the disk in her pockets. She was going to go over the video later during the night. Steve went ahead and opened the door but when he stepped outside he ran into four hard looking men clad in black much like Natasha. They were smirking and suddenly Steve found himself lifting his upper lip in anger, almost baring his teeth.

"Come to take our toy away, eh?" Gage taunted as he saw Bruce and Clint carrying Loki away. Thankfully Loki felt safe enough to not react to seeing them again. Steve now glared at them and began to square off at them to which they just chuckled and Axle said, "You do realize Fury is going to bury you people alive, right?"

Steve groaned loudly, in part the man was right but he was not about to leave anyone, regardless of past actions, behind to get tortured and beaten. Steve turned on his heels and began to walk away but it seemed the four men loved to pick fights. Gage cupped both hands around his mouth and shouted.

"Some god supervillian he turned out to be! Fucking faggot just laid there and took it!"

That did it for Steve. He quickly turned around and with a single blow to Gage's head he knocked the oversized Irishman down to the ground. As the man turned to look at Steve he saw the captain seething, nostrils flared and eyes so narrowed he could have sworn they had gone black.

"For every mark we find on him—"

"Steve, let's go!" Clint had stopped and saw what Steve did but he could not blame him since he heard what Gage had said and he knew why Steve did what he did. Steve glared at Gage as he turned around to join his friends. He knew there were more pressing matters to deal with and a violent reaction was not going to help them at the moment but it felt damn good to have at least knocked the man down to the ground. Steve hated bullies.

The group rushed, as fast as they could anyways, to the car which was still parked where Tony left it and there was no sign of the pudgy guard. Tony opened the front passenger door and between him and Clint managed to get Loki to sit. Once on the seat Bruce lowered the back part of the seat further to comfortably accommodate Loki. Tony placed a hand on Loki's chest to ease him down but as he lowered the injured Asgardian Loki turned to his side and leaned his head out of the car and violently heaved and coughed eventually vomiting on the sidewalk. The group backed away and to their horror they saw it was blood he had vomited.

Tony ushered the group to move quickly and once everyone was inside the car Tony sped off. He foolishly ran a few red lights but given the situation and the time it was a matter of getting to a certain point before the afternoon traffic would hit them hard and being trapped in the middle of a traffic jam with a severely injured man was not part of the options.

In what Tony perceived to be a miracle they reached the mansion, no cops pulled him over, no accidents on the road, and no traffic jams had slowed the drive. Before they could count their blessings there was the matter of how to deal with Thor. They all knew that as soon as Thor would lay his eyes on Loki he would definitely like to pay SHIELD a visit and exact the damage done to his brother. Along the way Tony contemplated a dozen different scenarios in his head and not one was good. He even thought using one of the tranquilizers on Thor to keep him from reacting would be a good enough idea but he did not bother with that or any other plan.

Once parked outside of the gate to the mansion Tony turned to Steve and told him to go ahead before the group to warn Thor of what was coming. Steve looked at the battered and bloody god in the front seat, nodded determinedly and marched into the mansion. Tony waited three minutes and after he saw no one came bursting through the front door he had the rest of the team help him bring Loki inside.

Every step was agonizing, every breath was painful and not one corner of his body did not ache and tremble with pain. He had been injured before, countless times in fact, but he had never gone through something like this before. Compared to this all his previous injuries were mild and minute and easily taken care of. This however was a brutality he thought he was not going to survive.

The walk from the gate to the front door was long and hard and he wanted desperately to just sit in a corner and just wait it all out but he wanted to get back to the safety of the mansion and he admitted to himself he needed to see Thor. It was not so Thor could see what had been done to him so Thor could roar into the sky and exact vengeance, revenge was a thought and an idea he had thrown away. At the start of his session with SHIELD's "finest" he was thinking up horrible ways he could torture the four men but after being tortured and talked down at he admitted he had been broken down and he admitted he had what was coming to him. He just needed to see his brother, his older, loving and protective brother who would surely keep him safe.

Tony stopped at the front door and as he gripped the doorknob he leaned in to see if he could hear anything. He did not but he still called out to Steve to make sure everything was all right. "Steve, how's everyone in there?"

"Bring him inside. Thor swore to remain calm." Steve yelled out though muffled by the door.

Tony took a deep breath, prayed to whatever was out there listening, gave Loki a warm and reassuring smile and opened the door. As the door swung open Tony closed his eyes, still praying Thor would not overreact and do something he and the rest of the group would later regret.

"What the hell did they do to him?!"

Hank's question made Tony open his eyes but the first thing he saw was Thor charging towards them. The look on his face horrified the group. It was as if both rage and sadness fought to lay claim to Thor's face and in the process it contorted his face to an almost demonic demeanor.

Thor's default reaction was to grasp Loki and as he walked closer Bruce lifted a hand in protest and the Asgardian froze close to Loki. He looked at Bruce briefly but then moved on to see the bloody mess that was his brother.

"Brother…" Thor managed to finally say as he lifted a hand and very gently placed it on Loki's cheek. In turn Loki leaned in on Thor's hand seeking that well known warmth and comfort. As he leaned into Thor's hand he closed his eyes and a few stray tears wandered out.

Natasha had made her way into the mansion and stood near the two brothers, carefully examining their reactions, especially Loki's. It was inconclusive but for the moment she felt Loki's reaction was genuine.

Thor reached for his brother and helped Tony and Bruce to bring him over to the medical room. Once in the room Tony had finally relaxed as he saw Hank and Bruce feverishly caring for Thor's brother. Bruce had seen some of the initial injuries but even he was shaken when he saw the real damage.

Once Loki was laid on the operating table they removed his clothing and covered the obvious parts with his tunic. The group was horrified by what they saw. Loki was covered in now purple and black bruises especially over his chest and stomach; he had puncture wounds all over his torso, his right knee, both feet and shoulders. Clint gagged when he saw the laceration across Loki's stomach and Bruce's fear of a collapsed lung came true when he saw a deep and bloody wound over Loki's chest. This was going to be a long afternoon of trying to piece him back together but Bruce and Hank were determined.

Thor traced every injury as if trying to memorize them; it was painful to watch but the one thing that he had to admit caused him to shudder was Loki's wheezing breathing. It disturbed him to know he was having trouble breathing and as he looked on he became furious. He narrowed his eyes and marched straight to Natasha and in a booming voice he said, "I demand to know who is responsible for this butchery!"

"Whoa, big guy, take it easy now. We—" Tony quickly walked towards Thor but he was stopped.

"Silence, Stark!" Thor roared at his teammate unaware that his voice was causing everyone in the room to stir uncomfortably, including Loki.

"Thor?"

Thor looked to the operating table and saw Loki tiredly looking at his brother. He had extended an arm towards Thor and as soon as Thor saw him calling to him he rushed to his brother's side and grabbed his hand with one hand and placed the other on his forehead.

"Please…don't…go. Stay here…" Loki's broken and breathless voice wretched Thor's heart. He wanted to break down SHIELD's front door and hunt down any and all who had a hand in hurting his younger brother. He would gladly bathe in their blood and present their skinned skulls to Loki as a present but he could not bear to leave his brother now that he asked for him.

"Brother, I—they must pay for what they have done!" Thor demanded as he slammed a fist on the operating table.

"No…seeking…vengeance will only…insight…more…vengeance. You need not…please stay with me…I need you _here_…"

Thor nodded and everyone in the room finally relaxed. Bruce, still in a confident and determined attitude, asked everyone to leave the medical room so Hank and he could work on getting Loki better again. Thor watched as the group left unsure if he would be able to stay with his brother as he had asked of him. Thor then turned to Bruce and almost timidly asked, "May I please remain here to watch my brother?"

Hank and Bruce looked at each other and in an amused fashion they both nodded while Bruce added, "Of course you can. Grab a chair and sit. This may take a while."

It took exactly five hours and twenty-seven minutes to treat all the injuries on the trickster but after those grueling hours were over Thor was relieved to know that thanks to some medication all Loki would do is sleep. He asked his teammates to help him place Loki in Thor's room so he could keep a close eye on him himself. If need be Thor would gladly sleep on the floor. He also asked that they forgive his earlier outburst but he was told it was not necessary because deep down they all understood why he reacted that way and some even confessed that if they had been in Thor's shoes they would have done the same thing.

Thor then put his brother to sleep soundly and safely in his room, carefully tucking him in and making sure the pillows were extra fluffy and checking to see that the sheets and the room was cool and fresh. He then proceeded to sit on the other side of the bed to watch his brother and to keep him safe.

Loki slept for two days; Thor kept watch for two days.


	11. Time Will Erode The Shame And The Fault

**Chapter 11:**  
**Time Will Erode The Shame And The Fault**

"We have been searching for a long time! How are we going to explain coming back to the Norn queen empty handed? Surely she will have our heads!" Skurge was many things but patient was not one of them. Amora's original plan had taken a slight turn when the Norn queen had ordered him and Amora to find all the crystals that had been lost in Midgard but she found a way to manipulate the situation to benefit both her and Skurge. Amora was confident in her plan but Skurge seemed to not share the sentiment.

"Dear Skurge, our time spent in Midgard was of a fruitful nature. While the Norn queen believed we were searching for her precious crystals we bought time." Amora's voice carried with it a sinister tone but one Skurge did not understand or even approved.

"Time for what exactly?"

"For the queen's rage to build."

Skurge stared at Amora almost comically like. She knew he barely understood what her plan was so she turned to face him head on and explained her newly hatched plan. "You see, the queen sent us to retrieve her crystals and while I _can_ easily find them we will tell the queen it was impossible to find the crystals because that _mange ridden dog_ placed a curse on them so no one could find them."

"And why would the trickster do that?"

"He's the very epitome of anarchy. No one knows why he does what he does. He just does it." Amora's rage was building as she spoke of Loki and while she wanted to raise her fists and curse his name loud enough for the universe to hear she calmed herself while explaining the rest of the plan. "When she hears our report she will become enraged and she will set after the trickster and end his pathetic excuse of an existence."

"We sit back and enjoy our revenge." Skurge said as he lifted a mug of ale and took a swig from it.

"Exactly. We will have to wait for some time, the queen will never believe us if we return now. We shall continue to hide and then we shall report to the queen."

"Down with the trickster!" Skurge took yet another helping of the ale, this time Amora joined in but before drinking she echoed the warrior's toast.

"Down with the trickster!"

In her line of work Natasha was forced to know the difference between a nagging feeling and that distinctive feeling that would make the difference between life and death. She had become a master of her emotions and ruled over her instincts with a tyrannical grace. Years upon years she was able to call the right shot and had the good grace to know when something seemed out of place even if the rest of the world denied it.

For the past two days she found her grip on her emotions and instincts to waver and often times blur. She was surprised when she asked Steve, whom she perceived would be the least biased person in the house, how Loki came to be in their care and why they were so driven to protect him at all costs. They were acting almost as overprotective as Thor was.

Steve had admitted he was not present in Las Vegas at the time but he had sat down with Bruce and had gotten every detail from him. Steve gave her every bit of information with very crucial details, details he knew would satisfy her need to know. As he gave her all the information she compared it to the scarcely-put-together psychological file SHEILD had on Loki and nothing Steve said matched what was on the file.

Natasha admitted to thinking he had formed some new strategy but it did not sound like something someone like Loki would do, even if he was desperate to reach his target. Steve then confirmed this confusion by saying that Thor, the only one qualified to actually make notes on Loki's behavior, had said Loki was not a person who would endanger himself. The Black Widow was confused, something that had not happened in a very long time.

"And that's it; you're all caught up on what's been happening here so far. I admit it's been…surreal, to say the least." Steve said as he took another sip of his sweetened coffee. While conversing with Natasha they had gone to the kitchen to fix themselves a fresh pot of coffee.

"Surreal? Try confusing. I'm sorry if I sound like I don't believe any of it but…" Natasha trailed off as she had gotten up to look for a spoon to stir her third cup of coffee.

"Hell, even _we_ had a hard time believing it ourselves and we've been here since day one." A third voice spoke and when Natasha and Steve turned around they saw Tony walking into the kitchen. His eyes narrowing as he lustfully walked towards the fresh pot of coffee. He grabbed his favorite mug and poured the highly sought after substance as he continued his explanation. "We actually believed he had intentionally let Skurge injure him as a part of the plan. But over time he's changed."

"I don't understand."

"It's pretty simple if you just think simply. They brawled it out, then they sat down to talk and they got everything out of their systems. Obviously this is all thanks to Janet." Tony's informed Natasha and before saying something else he took a gulp of the coffee.

"Wait, wait, wait, you lost me there. How is this all thanks to Janet?" Natasha's tone caught her by surprise, she was genuinely caught off guard and no matter how she tried to process the situation she could not make heads or tails of what Tony was telling her.

"Janet did the one thing no one else either here or in Asgard did: she just listened to what he had to say. Of course she made a few adjustments in order for the whole thing to go her way. You're more than welcome to verify our security files, I recorded everything. Now after this I'm hoping things remain calm. So when you report back to Fury tonight." Tony's eyes narrowed as he sunk his sight deep into her eyes. "I would appreciate it if you kept them at bay. It's been hard but we have actually managed to get him to trust us and if you screw that up it will definitely not help anyone."

"If he gives me no reason to do so I will not." Natasha said as she returned the same gaze at Tony.

Steve was feeling the tension build up. He knew Tony did not fully trust Natasha; after all, she had once infiltrated his home under the guise of someone from "legal". Not to mention that they all knew why she remained in the mansion. They knew Fury ordered her to remain behind to keep a close watch on them.

"Guys, please, that's enough. Don't we already have enough on our plate that we have to be at each other's throats constantly? We worked brilliantly together a year ago, let's try and do so again."

Natasha sighed deeply and broke the gaze; she looked at Steve and nodded. "So what's the plan?"

"We get him better and we'll take it from there." That was Tony's reply. Short and to the point. That was his point; they had no real idea of what to do with Loki. He had nowhere to go and no one to turn to save for them and he had already made up his mind about letting him stay with them. Big decisions like that were voted on but Tony made the decision knowing full well that the only two people who would have a problem would be Clint and Natasha and just two opposing would render them outvoted.

"So…you're just going to keep him here?" Natasha asked. She was still unclear on what the Avengers' intentions for Loki were.

"Yeah," Tony said, "He can stay here. We don't mind."

"Fury will." Natasha added. "He'll mind."

"This is my house. Who I bring to my house is my business and mine alone." Tony's tone was dangerously hostile.

Before things could escalade Steve budged in by adding, "Look, Natasha, in a way Loki is still carrying out his sentence. He has been banished, just so happened to be here on Earth. He was stripped away of his home, his parents, and his title for God's sake. He has nothing left. Fury locking him away will just…destroy him. You'd be sentencing him for the same thing. Twice."

Natasha stood in silence as she contemplated Steve's words and finally looked up at the captain with a smile. "I thought _Loki_ was the silver-tongued trickster." They chuckled but Natasha continued. "Look, you make a valid point but Fury will be seeking Earth bound justice. The only reason why he never pursued the matter after Loki was taken away was because he thought Loki would have to answer to some form of justice. Seeing him here running freely as he pleases is not what he had in mind."

"Can't always get what you want, now can you?" Tony closed the subject with that sentence and as much as Natasha wanted to tell them it was foolhardy she deemed it futile since the group had become overprotective of Loki.

As if reverting the conversation back to something a little less stressful Steve commented on how atrocious the weather had become. It was true, the storm outside did not look like it was going to subside and the rain on the roof, walls and windows was loud enough to demand attention to it, not to mention the thundering. They continued to enjoy the coffee and eventually turned the subject around to something less sensitive. Tony and Natasha even wound up staying up later and talking about past occurrences in the time before Loki first left Earth and before he showed up again. He even made a few light jokes about the Hulk's horrifying aim when it came to hurling trucks.

Around 11:50 at night the entire mansion had fallen into a warm silence, everyone had fallen asleep except for Natasha. Natasha had been tossing and turning on her bed and somehow her eyes always diverted back to her pants' pockets where the small disk containing the security feed of the cell Loki had been left in had been recorded on. When they had brought Loki back she had been determined to see what the video contained but with the current situation she had completely forgotten about it.

Natasha knew full well that she was not going to be able to sleep so she rose from her bed, took the disk and walked to Stark's security room. Jarvis kindly let her in but warned her that all entries into that room were recorded but she agreed. She had nothing to hide.

As she sat down in front of over twenty monitors showing various parts of the mansion and rooms she took the disk in one hand and inserted it into the computer while typing some commands with her other hand. When the middle screen blacked out and suddenly displayed the security feed she sat still and focused on the screen.

"Nat? What are you doing here?" It was Clint's voice but she already knew that. She had seen him walking down the hallway and into the kitchen. He must have seen her walk out of her room and followed her.

"Watching the video feed from the security cameras in the cell." She stated firmly as she kept her eyes glued to the monitor. Clint shrugged and pulled up another chair beside her and both continued to watch the security feed.

It was something both would come to regret.

Natasha tried her hardest to keep her eyes on the monitor, she tried to keep her eyes fixated on Loki's face, to read his expression but as his face contorted in pain from the torture she found it hard. Clint was more expressive. He often looked away when the drill was brought up and he would utter curses under his breath when he heard the drill dig into flesh and bone. An occasional protest escaped him when he saw Loki vomiting. He had lost count after the eighth time Loki vomited.

Natasha, as stoic and cold as she tried to appear, closed her eyes when one of them had dug his fingers into the laceration on Loki's midsection. She kept her eyes shut while Loki screamed and when all was silent she watched the screen again. She actually flinched when she saw Loki was thrown off the table and let out a pained whimper as he hit the floor.

Clint was now turning on his side and placed a hand next to his eyes trying to cover his view. He could not take any more of it but he felt it was worse just hearing Loki screaming so he occasionally shifted his eyes back to the screen only to look away again.

They both sat through the ninety minute beating and before they could sigh with relief that it was over they saw the man holding the plumber wrench lift it as if it over his head and to their horror saw the man drop it on the back of Loki's head.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God, how the hell is he still alive?!" Clint protested aloud looking at the monitor in horror. Natasha kept staring as the four men dropped the weapons and left the cell. Once they were gone she brought her eyes back at Loki, he was lying on the floor with this back towards the camera, and she could see blood oozing out of the back of his head and saw his cuffed hands twitching frantically. Clint fast forwarded the video and for a while it just showed Loki lying in the same position, not even moving a little.

"Wait, wait, back it up." Natasha said as she leaned in to get a closer look at the screen. Clint hit the rewind button and then pressed play. After a few minutes they saw Loki moving his head and heard him coughing and spitting, most likely throwing up again. After a few heavy heaves they heard a sound that made Clint look away and made Natasha close her eyes to try and hold back a tear but a few fled her eyes nonetheless. She was not made of stone no matter what anyone said.

The sound was Loki trying to catch his breath as he loudly sobbed and cried.

"Turn it off, Nat." Clint said as he rubbed his eyes, "I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. I kind of feel sick."

"Would you blame them?" Natasha asked as she discreetly wiped away her tears.

Clint snorted and gave her a horrified look. He turned to her and as he pointed to the monitor he said, "Were you not watching? Christ, Nat, the only thing they didn't do was _rape_ him! No one should go through that, no one!"

"A year ago Gage _had_ an aunt living in New York and Axle _had_ a cousin working for SHIELD, in the helicarrier."

"Aw, shit…that still doesn't excuse them. We're supposed to be the good guys! Fury ordered them to get answers not beat him half to death. You know—" Clint brought both hands up, closed his eyes and inhaled and exhaled in order to keep his composure steady. He was torn between hating Loki and feeling sympathy for him. "Well, you know what? Maybe I should go and wake Thor up and let him run loose at SHIELD and see how they like it."

"Loki asked Thor _not_ to do that."

Clint sighed deeply. He was confused, could not place where he stood with Loki, or even knew how he felt about him. He looked back at the monitor and sighed once more. Gage was right, Loki had just laid there and took the abuse, and he never even bothered to plead or beg.

As Clint became engulfed in his thoughts Natasha had typed in the command to shut the monitors off and tried to leave everything as it was. Before she could say anything Clint leaned in behind her and said, "I'm gonna go talk to him."

"What for?"

"I just do. I don't know if it's a good idea—hell, I don't even know what to say to him but I just need to talk to him."

Natasha lowered her gaze and understood what Clint meant by it and she did admit that by doing so Clint might heal. She smiled at her partner and nodded. Of course, the talk would have to wait until Loki was awake; he had yet to wake up since he was brought back to the mansion. Talking would have been a smart move on Clint's part. Especially since they both knew that this was now where the younger Asgardian was going to stay. As they returned to their respective rooms they saw Thor loudly knocking on Tony's door. As the agents drew closer Tony opened the door and incidentally the rest of the members had woken up due to the loud knocking and Thor's loud calls.

"Thor? What's wrong? Are—is everything okay?" Tony slurred his words as he rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Loki's gone. I do not know where he is."

The group had gathered behind Thor but none had really gathered the information well enough to let panic swift right through them yet they remained vigilant. Tony inhaled and cleared his throat as he looked up and said, "Jarvis, we need a fix on little bro."

"First floor, currently standing in front of the main door." Jarvis replied quickly.

"There. Probably needed to stretch his legs, he's been in bed for two days." Steve added. He was certain of what he said but he also found it odd that he was merely standing in front of the door.

"Sir, you should know he is also armed." Jarvis' last bit of information sent a cold chill through the group and unanimously the group ran as fast as they could to the first floor. Natasha hung back and ran into her room and grabbed a handgun in order to level the playing field. As soon as she grabbed what she needed she ran after the rest of the group and eventually caught up and no one was the wiser.

Once the group reached the first floor and faced the main entrance they stopped behind Steve who held out his right palm up behind him signaling the group to slow down. The entire group rushing towards Loki seemed like a bad idea at the moment. None of them knew what he was armed with and why but if they were to diffuse the situation, whatever it may be, they needed to tread carefully. Care needed to take a front seat. Steve took four steps forward and as he stood still he looked to the right and saw a light switch, he flipped the switch and when the light erupted he felt a faint sting of panic and immediately knew he needed someone else to help. Steve turned around and quietly pointed to Jan; Jan got the message clearly and slowly walked towards Steve.

"We need this under control as soon as possible without anyone, including him, getting hurt. You know how to do this best." Steve's words were hushed and barely audible but Jan understood. She inhaled and tried to control herself. If she was able to reach him once she was sure she could do it again but if she was going to do so again she needed to clear her mind and remain calm. She nodded at Steve and both of them walked over to Loki.

"Loki? What are you doing down here? You should be in bed resting." Steve was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. Everyone in the room waited quietly.

After a few minutes Loki drew in a shuddering breath and while remaining still he said in a low tone, "Stark? Do you remember that night when we spoke about rage and control?"

"Yeah, I do. What about it?" Tony answered as calmly as he could.

"What if I cannot control it? What would happen if I walk out of this door, find them and do something worse?"

"But you didn't, did you? Why?"

"The answer to that question is very simple. I have not acted on a whim because if I do I will lose control and I admit that…what happened was bound to happen."

"No, no, what they did was atrocious. There was no excuse for it." Steve quickly jumped in.

"Bad things happen to bad people, captain." Loki answered in a quivering voice and dropped his hands to his side and the group's attention was caught by the knife in his right hand. Natasha's immediate reaction was to aim her weapon at Loki but Bruce placed his hand on her hands and slowly pushed her hands down. Loki then slowly turned on his heel to face the group and as he stood still he raised his glazed eyes to look at their faces. "I don't even know who I am anymore."

"Maybe I can clear it up for you." Clint suggested as he walked to the front of the group.

"Clint—" Tony motioned forward but Clint turned around and put his right hand up with his palm facing Tony and the others. He did not mean to cause any damage to an already damaged person but nonetheless a shudder went through most of the group as Clint stopped a few feet from the group and while Steve prayed Clint would not say anything to upset the situation further Clint stared at the Asgardian with certainty in his eyes. In response Loki lowered his gaze as he felt his eyes burning and unable to hold back his tears.

"No, look at me." Clint said as he slightly shook his head and took another step forward. "Eyes up."

Loki complied and kept his red stained eyes on the archer. An uncomfortable silence fell in the room, mostly due to Clint planning ahead what he was going to say and filtering as much as he could. This would also be the opportunity he needed to let go of his demons and perhaps their release would somehow help.

"I really, _really_ fucking hate you." So much for diplomacy. "When you came back all I wanted to do was kill you. I even stood outside your door planning it out, how I'd kill you, whether I should leave your body for the others to find or just get rid of it and make it seem like you somehow ran away. I fantasized often about killing you in the worst way, the slowest, most painful way. Often."

"But you know what?" Clint continued. "I finally figured that those homicidal fantasies were beneath me. That I would be acting like every villain that came before you and after you. That's not me. I'm an agent of SHIELD and a member of The Avengers and neither group stands for that kinda crap. I still wanted to kill you though. But you're still alive and so am I, so are Thor and everybody else."

Loki kept trying to suppress his tears as much as he could but thin streams forced their way out of his eyes and down his face as he lowered his gaze. He inhaled as he slightly shook his head and placed his eyes once more on Clint who continued.

"Nat and I sat down to watch the security video from the cell they kept you in. Bad shit happens all the time but a bad person doesn't sit through a forty minute torture session and a ninety minute beating without running out the door and killing their tormentor." The group groaned upon learning those two details about the torture Loki had gone through. A sudden and loud slam made most of them jump. Natasha looked to her left and saw Thor had slammed his fist into the wall. He kept his hand on the wall and balled his other hand into a fist as he hung his head. He had been spared every detail about what had happened in that cell.

"A bad person doesn't swear to go back to jail to finish their sentence. You know when I started to sort of ease up off you? When Tony told me you were willingly going to go back to Asgard to complete your sentence. That's when the hate started to water down. That day when you went off to Asgard I admit I couldn't believe it but lo and behold there you were crossing that rip into Asgard to do as you had promised. After an hour I really believed you were keeping your promise and I told myself that if you did come back after finishing your sentence that you and I would have this talk. Of course, it turns out that your old man is not so good with his parenting and it almost got you killed so we're having this conversation now."

At the mention of his father Loki engulfed some air and looked away as he shifted his stance. His face contorted as he furrowed his brow and closed his eyes to stop the flow of tears but the more he forced himself to stop the thicker the streams of tears got. An involuntary sob burst out of him but he tried to contain himself as he gripped the knife.

"You know exactly who you are." Clint exclaimed as he pointed at Loki. "You haven't lost sight of who you are, you've just seen another side to who you are. You're still the same, just making smarter choices and not letting that anger beat you down. Same anger I had, same choices. I chose not to let my own anger drive me and I chose not to kill you. You're Loki, cast out of Asgard, disowned, healing in more ways than one but…" Clint turned around to look at the rest of the group who looked on with sympathetic faces and a few glazed eyes. Clint then looked to Tony, then Steve and Finally Thor who closed his eyes as he slowly nodded and then turned his gaze to Loki who was looking to the floor and visibly shaking while trying to contain himself. "But definitely not alone."

After Clint went silent the knife landed on the floor beside Loki whose stifled sobs echoed through the room. There was a breath of relief throughout the group but they still looked on as Loki fell to his knees. He wrapped his arms around his upper body and slouched over as he desperately tried to contain himself thought it was not working. Thor and Jan rushed over and tried their best to comfort him. Thor grabbed the knife and tossed it as far as he could and returned to whisper to his brother while placing a hand on his back and Jan held his hand while whispering to him as well. Natasha remained still as she saw the rest of the group walking over and sitting around Loki, she was sympathetic because of the torture he had gone through but she was not emotionally invested unlike the others. Still, she put the gun away and walked over to the puppy pile that had formed in front of her. Loki had become silent while tears slid out of his eyes; he fell to his side and lay on the floor while the group surrounded him. The whispers and warmth of their contact numbed him for a moment. He kept staring at Clint who after watching the group pile around him shook his head playfully and joined them. He sat down next to Bruce, placed his back against Loki's stomach and placed his hand on his back. Natasha gave it no other thought and joined them taking a place next to Clint. She turned her head and slightly lifted the corner of her mouth while looking at Loki.

Loki began to breathe heavily and as he did the hugs got tighter and his tears flowed faster down his cheeks. "I'm sorry." He sobbed quietly as he raked his fingers through his hair. "I'm so sorry, I'm just so sorry."

"It's all right, let it out." Tony whispered as he patted Loki on his head. "Cry, yell, scream if you have to but don't bottle it up. Let go, sport."

"We'll be here with you." Hank reassured him with a smile as he tucked a bit of Loki's hair behind his ear.

"All night if we have to." Bruce added.

Loki shut his eyes tightly while heaving but he could no longer hold it in, he began to sob quietly but it escalated to hysterical sobbing. No one had noticed when it had started to rain much less thunder but as the minutes passed the hysterical sobbing had turned into deafening screaming that went on for long hours. It had gone on long into the night until Loki's throat was sore and voiceless and he had resorted to more weeping until he passed out and fell asleep. The group never left his side just as they had promised. One by one they slowly fell asleep around him while keeping as much contact with him as possible. Thor fell asleep with Loki's head resting on his lap and his hands behind his head; Jan fell asleep while resting her head against Loki's chest and holding his left hand tightly, Bruce had fallen asleep with his head resting on Loki's knees and one hand casually thrown over his knees. Natasha fell asleep next to Clint while leaning her head on Clint's shoulder and keeping her right hand on Loki's side. Clint leaned his head on Natasha's and wrapped one arm around her and kept the other arm slung over Loki's hip. Hank slept close to Jan and gripping Loki's left wrist with both hands. Steve fell asleep while wrapping both arms around Loki's legs and Tony fell asleep while resting his head on Loki's back and grabbing a hold of Loki's right forearm.

The storm went on well after the agonized screaming and sobbing silenced and the only sound that echoed through the mansion was the crashing thunder, the rain pattering against the windows, walls and roof. The hours passed on peacefully into the morning. As the warm rays passed through the glass windows Natasha slowly opened her eyes. She lifted her head slowly and as she looked around she saw the puppy pile still asleep, she yawned quietly and cleared her throat. She carefully slid away from the pile and stood up as quietly as possible and made her way into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee and admittedly meditate on what had happened the night before.

Once in the kitchen she was surprised to see Jan and Steve preparing a big pot of coffee. She greeted them hazily while yawning and they returned the greeting in a similarly sleepy fashion. "I didn't realize anyone else was awake." Natasha noted as she stretched.

"I woke up when Steve stood up and followed him to the kitchen to help." Jan admitted as she continued to wash the mugs.

"Anyone else woke up?" Jan asked.

"Not that I saw. The three of us are the only ones awake."

"And Loki." Steve said while grabbing a carton of milk from the refrigerator. "When I woke up he was gone. I figured he'd gone to wash up but he's been gone for a while."

The trio looked at each other questionably. Given the night's event they were not sure of what state Loki was in though they hoped he was calm or at least numb enough to not make drastic decisions. Steve placed the milk next to the coffee maker and while turning his gaze up he said, "Good morning, Jarvis."

"Good morning, captain." Jarvis replied.

"Jarvis, do you know where Loki went?" Steve asked and prayed for the program to give him an answer he was begging for.

"He is currently on the roof of the mansion." Jarvis answered and although his voice pattern did not indicate that there was anything wrong the trio looked at each other all thinking the same morbid thought.

Simultaneously the trio sprinted out of the kitchen and made their way to the stairs and ran as fast as their legs could carry them. Once at the door Steve burst through and winced a bit as the sunlight hit him but as soon as he recovered he felt Natasha and Jan push him lightly aside.

They looked to the other side of the pool and saw Loki sitting on the edge of the roof leaning back slightly while supporting his weight with both arms just a few inches behind his back. The trio approached him slowly, unsure of what to expect. As they slowly approached Loki lifted his head and the breeze swept past him and a fluttering sound stopped the trio in their tracks.

Loki reached to his side and grabbed a bottle of water. Jan looked around him and saw an empty liter of soda, some wraps of junk food and an empty plate and about three bottles of water. Her curiosity was sparkling but she and the others slowly walked towards Loki. As they approached a giant liquid manta ray flew into the air and danced wildly as an eel and a whale joined the manta ray. The three liquid creatures danced in the sky above Loki and they could have sworn they heard Loki laughing.

Their attention was driven back to Loki who stood up after he picked up a second bottle of water. He took the two bottles and spilled the water all around him as the marine creatures continued to dance. After he did he held the two bottles with his hands and as he closed his eyes his hands began to glow green and several golden streams laced themselves around his hands and as the lights became brighter Loki knelt on the floor and placed both hands on the water and the roof began to glow.

Jan and the others took a step back as they saw the green energy concentrating on all the rain water that had collected on the roof over the last few hours. As the light got brighter and brighter the water actually began to move on its own.

Suddenly a horde of animals, liquid animals, rose from the floor and began to run around and dance. There was a tiger, a couple of dogs, a bald eagle, and dragons flying about. The trio looked to the sky as the liquid animals ran and flew through the skies and played with each other. Jan, Steve and even Natasha laughed at the sight in front of them. Genuine happiness and cheer splashed across their faces as they took in the sights. More animals emerged from the water as they looked down at the floor and then looked at Loki.

A sheepish smile adorned his face as he took the three bottles of water and tossed them at the trio in front of him. The bottles were glowing with a green aura and the water inside seemed to slosh about slowly. The trio looked at the bottles curiously but Steve somehow got the notion to spill the bottle as Loki had done earlier.

The bottle never emptied but water flowed out of it nonetheless. As the water fell a dinosaur made of water formed before his very eyes. It was not the size of a full grown dinosaur but it was still there. Steve had actually thought of a dinosaur and the enchanted water took the form of what he was thinking. Jan looked at the bottle in amazement and as she tilted the bottle a giraffe formed and ran after the dinosaur. Natasha did as well and an elephant emerged.

Loki looked at them and the look on their faces formed a bigger smile on his. He would often perform tricks to amuse other Asgardians but growing up in a warrior driven society meant his talents were not as sought after as a warrior's would be. However the result before him now actually made his heart jump with what he could only figure out to be joy. Something he thought would never wrap itself around his heart ever again. He laughed again as he flicked his index finger up and from the water in the pool a horde of balloons flew high into the sky.

Jan saw the massive balloons and grabbed on to one of the strings and let out an uncontrolled giggle as Natasha grabbed her hand and as they flew higher they tilted their bottles and dozens of water dragonflies and butterflies flew around them. Steve could not help but laugh loudly. He took his bottle and spilled water everywhere and bees flew around.

Loki shifted the pool's water and dozens of blocks floated into the air so Natasha and Jan would not fly away. The girls let go of the balloon and stepped onto the blocks while playing with the water animals that danced and pranced around them. Jan's loud laughter was strong but it was not surprising coming from her. Loki looked at Natasha as her own laughter turned into squeals, he loved that sound, and it was graceful as was Jan's. All their laughter combined was a marvelous sound. It was the first time in days that the mansion was host to happy squeals, joyous laughter, uncontrollable giggles and laughing fits that were so loud Steve could have sworn the entire neighborhood could hear them. He was especially happy to see Loki laughing so loudly and loved that he had a genuine look of happiness in his eyes.

Eventually Natasha and Jan made their way back to the roof and continued to splash the air with water animals which were now crowding the air space around them. Eventually Loki lifted both arms and all the animals and objects floating around them merged into a giant water sphere and as it got bigger it actually burst and water droplets fell all around them. Steve, Jan and Natasha laughed as did Loki.

Their activities had not gone unnoticed. The rest of the inhabitants of the mansion had walked in on them as they were entertained by Loki's magic. Loki looked behind the trio and saw his brother and the others idly standing and watching, smiles all across and a look of hope and joy written across Thor's face.

Thor and Loki locked eyes and Thor slowly made his way towards his brother. Thor searched his brother's eyes and Loki flushed a little but before he could turn his sheepish gaze away Thor placed a hand on the back of Loki's neck. Loki placed a hand on Thor's arm and smiled as he looked at his older brother. In a swift motion Thor drew Loki in and hugged him. Loki was somewhat surprised but he returned the hug and squeezed as hard as he could.

The group watched but then one by one they tackled the siblings in a hug of their own and as they all squealed in laughter they fell over and continued to laugh. After a few minutes of pure unadulterated laughter they all stood and smiled at one another. Even Natasha was smiling, though she admitted the hugging was unusual from her part and she still could not figure why she joined in on the tackling hug. Could have been a spur of the moment situation.

"Brother, you were using your magic. How is this possible?" Thor questioned as soon as he remembered he had seen Loki using magic. They all turned to Tony who laughed as he waved his hands dismissively.

"Oh, I turned that thing off when you had been invited upstairs by Jan. Remember our talk from that night? I turned it off as soon as I got to my room."

Actually speaking, Tony had turned off the device when Loki and Thor had that conversation in the medical room after Loki and Thor had that brawl in the basement. He was not going to confess to that because he had listened in on their conversation and for some reason between Loki sobbing and spilling his heart out to Thor he had placed a thought in his mind. A thought that was to him as accurate as Loki was real. He knew of Loki's reputation as a liesmith and he knew that a liar as gifted as he was to be a good actor but the tone of his voice and how terribly he was stuttering just made the entire situation genuine. Not to mention that he had Jarvis keep a sharp eye on Loki's vitals to reassure himself if he was lying or not. He had not lied. The second thing that convinced Tony was how Loki reacted to Clint's constant badgering. Loki from a year ago would have snapped Clint's neck but he did not.

Thor spoke of Loki often and with crucial details and everything about his behavior pointed at someone who had been hurt, had a low level of self-esteem and some serious inferiority complexes. Thor spoke of someone who needed fixing and as corny as he admitted it sounded he also thought that that man needed a hug, quite possibly a kick in the teeth as well for acting out at the wrong people, anything to let him know that everything was going to be all right and that he did not have to hide behind lies, trickery and chaos any longer.

Tony shared this sentiment with the rest of the group and eventually Clint had grown to accept that perhaps Tony was right but he seldom made a mention of it. Everyone, single one of them had once made one or multiple horrendous mistakes in their lives, some needed a second chance and Tony had seen that everywhere. Bruce's destructive nature as the Hulk was the epitome of it. A lot of people shunned him for it yet here he was as a founding member of the Avengers, fighting evil and doing "goody goody stuff" as Tony called it. Natasha was also as good an example as any. Clint as well.

Yes, he did admit Loki's mistakes involved the deaths of a lot of people but his case was very complex. As Thor spoke he just sensed Loki was a person who would go to any lengths to please someone he deemed worthy of respect and when he failed to gain his father's approval, especially after learning he was adopted, it was only natural that his psychological state shattered.

"Here." Tony said as he approached Loki and removed the device from his neck. "There's no point in keeping this on you." Loki rubbed the back of his neck and gave Tony a confused look.

"We trust you." Tony declared and the rest of the group nodded in agreement and smiled back at him.

Loki smiled again and as he stared at the group Thor placed his massive hand on his head and tousled his already messy hair and while they all laughed Jan said, "We should head down, get dressed and go out for breakfast."

The group erupted in agreement and slowly made their way back into the mansion while shouting suggestions for places to get some breakfast. Loki stood still as the group left but as he took a step forward Clint and Natasha held him back.

"Are you all right, Loki?" Clint asked as he searched his eyes.

"I am."

"How did you know the device wasn't working?" Natasha asked. It was actual curiosity that spawned the question.

Loki sighed and lowered his gaze as he answered, "Last night, before any of you had found out I had left Thor's quarters…I tested the device and sought to trigger another charge from it. I had hoped that it would…" Loki trailed off as he struggled to find a way to finish the sentence. What he had attempted the night before made him feel queasy.

"You meant to use the knife on yourself after the device failed, didn't you?" Natasha asked as she put the situation together.

"Yes…" Loki gulped as he lowered his gaze in shame.

"Hey, don't worry about it. It'll be our secret. But promise us you'll never go down that road ever again." Clint demanded with a friendly tone and a smile.

"You have my word, agent Barton." Loki replied with a reassuring smile while placing his eyes on Clint.

"Good!" Clint chirped but quickly smiled widely at the Asgardian as he patted him on the back, "We should head down or they'll leave without us. I want waffles!"

"I will join you in a few minutes."

Clint rushed to the door while Natasha placed a hand on the back of Loki's head, pleasantly scratching with her thumb, and smiled at him reassuringly. Loki returned the smile and once he was alone he inhaled and exhaled as he looked to the sky. The wind blew his hair back as he momentarily closed his eyes. For the first time in long centuries that bitter and deadly feeling of loneliness was not present and weighing his soul down and squeezing the life out of his heart. He felt wanted amongst the group, he felt he was welcome and did not need to fear them or needed to hide who he was. All he had to do was be himself and in that realization he finally realized what it was like to be free. To be unconditionally loved.

He smiled as he opened his eyes and while still staring at the sky he said, "Father, I am eternally sorry for all of my grievances against you and Asgard. I realize I was wrong in many ways but I was right in many others. Whether you accept my apology or not I will never know…I plan to never return to Asgard."

Loki sighed as he walked back into the mansion and returned to the group so they could leave for breakfast as Jan had suggested.

Unbeknownst to Loki his message and apology did in fact reach the intended ears and while the receptor was jaded with guilt and sadness his only witness to the rare event of open expression was the watcher. It was a sad event to watch a god king weep over the permanent loss of his youngest child but it was also a relief to see some happiness within a being who had only known loneliness and bitterness for so long.


	12. Your Show Starts Now

**Chapter 12:**  
**Your Show Starts Now**

"Perry, have I got a beaut for you!" A tall man wearing baggy clothes and a massive afro atop of his head walked into a pawnshop. As the door closed behind him the loud noises of Detroit's busy streets silenced. The man shook off some rain water to which the owner of the pawnshop protested to with claims of having cleaned the floor though it certainly did not appear to be true. After a half-hearted apology the man that had just walked in approached the owner while digging his hands into his pocket. Once near the counter he pulled out a strange looking crystal, it was big, about three inches long.

"Looky what I ran into, Per." The man announced as a huge grin warped his face.

"The fuck is that, Edward?" Perry groaned with a slight annoyance in his voice.

"What are you blind? It's a fuckin' diamond! Look at the size a this thing!"

Perry sighed and grabbed the object from Edward's gloved hand and as soon as his hand came into contact with the object a tingling sensation washed over his hand and as the sensation spread to the rest of his body he could swear he heard and felt a humming sound emitting from the object. Perry blinked as he stared into the object and after a few minutes he looked back at Edward with confusion.

"Where…did you say you got this crystal?"

"Yo, man, I got that diamond off some junkie who said he found it in some dumpster."

"Okay, first of all," Perry held the object with one hand and with the other he raised it facing the palm of his hand towards Edward as he continued, "This is _not_ a diamond, shithead, this is a crystal. Second of all, this could be a fake for all you know. Thirdly, how the hell did this end up in a dumpster?"

Edward shrugged in an obvious display of lack of knowledge to Perry's question. Perry snorted and made his way to the back of the shop only to return a few minutes later with a small tool known as a jeweler's eye. He sat back down on his squeaky and unkept stool and examined the crystal carefully. As he examined the crystal he noticed the fibers within it to have strange markings and even more there was a small, faint light at the core of the crystal. Upon further examination he saw the light was pulsating in a subtle way.

Confused Edward put the jeweler's eye down and shook the crystal to see if it was some liquid or some strange mechanism that made the pulsing light work. After shaking it he placed the jeweler's eye back over his left eye and to his surprise everything was intact. He could not shake the feeling that he was holding something rare and valuable in his hand. He put the crystal and the eye down and looked at Edward with a very pleased look on his face.

"I think you may have found something big here."

Both men smiled at each other but their joy was not to last. In their suspense of examining the crystal neither of them had heard the front door open nor close, much less noticed the muscular six foot man standing idly at the door. "It had better be the money you owe for the last two months, Perry."

Both Perry and Edward turned to look at the man and both gasped at the same time when they saw who was standing at the door. The muscular man made his way towards the counter and as he got close Edward backed away towards the wall while Perry began to sweat.

"Perry, you know how I hate coming here, I really hate coming here and your not paying made me come down here. Now, when I do something I hate doing it really gets my goat and then I end up doing not so nice things. Is that what you want? For me to do not so very nice things to your shop or you?"

"I—I'm sorry, tell your boss I'll have the money in a week. I just need a week to—" Perry was obviously very nervous and stuttering but this only angered the muscular man for he slammed both fisted hands on the counter and shook all the contents on it.

"You've not paid in two months! Why would we give you an extra week?! The money or we burn this place down!"

"No, please!" Perry stumbled about as he stood up from the stool and slightly backed away from the gangster, "Look, see that crystal there? It's rare; it's nothing like I've ever seen before! I haven't seen anything like it in the world! Take it! It could be worth thousands upon thousands!"

The gangster shot a questionable look at Perry and then lowered his gaze and settled his eyes on the crystal. He knew absolutely nothing about diamonds or crystals and as reluctant as he felt about taking that crystal as a form of payment due to being at risk of having been duped into getting a fake he grabbed it. The same tingling sensation washed over him but he dismissed it as the adrenaline from shouting and threatening another with burning down his business, if it could be called that. The gangster stared at the crystal for a few minutes and then shot a hostile look to both Perry and Edward to which both men slightly jumped back from.

"This just bought you a week. But if this turns out to be nothing I'll come back here and if you have any sense in your brain you'll have left the states or I'm burning this place down with you and Shaft over there."

With that the gangster turned on his heels and walked out of the pawnshop. Once outside he reached for his cell phone and confirmed to his boss that some form of payment had been made, the voice on the other line sounded upset and instructions to immediately return were shouted. The large gangster sighed as he ended the call and made his way back to his car. He hoped this crystal would in fact turn out to be worth something because if he had to be screamed at once more he was going to return that very same night and make a living inferno out of the pawnshop and the people within it.

A matter of normalcy had returned to take its place in the mansion. They had fallen into a comfortable routine and that comfort was welcoming as it brought about a massive amount of peace of mind. When the Avengers were summoned, sometimes they would be gone all day; Loki took that time to head down to the laboratory and borrow several books which he had asked about. He would spend all of his time in the mansion when alone to read about science, modern technology and Midgard per say. Bruce, Hank and Tony would oblige him with such books and would often find themselves talking for hours about what they loved the most and were surprised to see Loki attentively hearing them and actually asking questions.

They soon found out Loki was a very fast learner as Jan had given him her old Kindle to download books for him to read and to their surprise all it took for him to learn how to properly use it was two explanations. He had also opened up to fiddling around with some of the more simple technologies such as operating the Blu-ray player and the television and soon moved up to bigger and more complicated machines. After a week he was comfortably walking down the mansion with a Kindle in hand and when he thought no one was looking would steal away their cell phones to try and comprehend how they worked as he came to learn not all were the same. When T'Challa returned to the mansion and had been informed of what had happened while he was gone he obliged Loki in talking of his culture and of his home. How his people were in tune with their past, the future, nature and science. Loki was, to say the least, fascinated and impressed with that society. A society that valued all of their members and used every resource they were gifted with for the betterment of their people.

Loki was not the only one who was learning. When T'Challa had learned that Loki was a sorcerer he had asked the Asgardian to let him study his abilities further. When he agreed T'Challa extensively studied the Asgardian and along the way Hank joined in and Bruce would occasionally drop by. T'Challa was impressed with the magical abilities of their newest guest and in turn filed all of his findings for further research and sent some of the information to Wakanda.

When completely alone due to his brother and his teammates fighting some villains he would often harass Jarvis with questions, definitions and references to which the program obliged. Thankfully machines and programs had no limits to their patience otherwise Loki was certain Jarvis would have gone insane by the amount of questions.

It was not always research and studying for him. In fact, when he was alone or before bed was the only time he was able to read and study but when around the residents of the mansion he would spend as much time as he could with Thor, making up for lost time which felt like centuries to him. When not with Thor he would spend time with Jan who often sought him out to include him in her activities and to ask him to perform magic and tricks. Loki would happily agree, he drowned in glee whenever she asked him about his magic, asked about his magical studies and would light up like the sun in midsummer when Jan asked to see him do magic. This often led the duo to creating pranks on the rest of the residents and at times Clint would join in. Was nothing harmful, in fact, he repeated pranks and tricks he had not done in long centuries due to them being harmless and childish but he was fine with that as they were pranks he did when he had not been engulfed in malice.

Thor in turn loved seeing his brother fitting in so well with his friends. He enjoyed watching him interact with the others and loved that Loki genuinely desired to spend time with him. Thor often visited the memory of a morning when Tony had asked anyone within the group to accompany him to purchase some house hold items that were missing from the kitchen and when Thor volunteered Loki rose up to accompany them and Steve also followed. As the four men left to their task Tony and Steve looked at each other with wide smiles as they looked back to see Loki chatting up a storm to Thor telling him of all he had learned from the previous days. The chatting lasted the entire walk from the mansion and back to the mansion. None of them minded especially Thor. Tony thought it was cute and Steve could identify with Loki in that aspect as he himself felt both frightened and fascinated with the modern world before him.

Loki would also accompany them to the gym on the second floor and watched them practice. He was often invited to join them but he neglected to do so. Part of him felt ashamed as he would often revert back to memories of blackened eyes and bruises when taking part in practice when younger back in Asgard. At first he found it useful and regarded it as a learning experience but as they grew older the practice turned more into competition and while there was nothing wrong with a little friendly competition there was nothing friendly about the way Sif would mock his stance or Hogun would glare at the way he held an ax. The only thing he would properly hold well was a spear and a sword and while it was limiting his arsenal he was more than happy to fuse sword play with offensive and defensive magic to which earned him several glares and disapproving looks from the others.

Natasha did take note of the way Loki would trace ever so carefully the way they all moved as if internally studying how every leg swayed, how the joints in their bodies bent, how a fist from a certain angle delivered more power, how much risk there was in a high kick or a low kick. His studious attention sparked an idea in her head and it grew as every time they had all attended the gym he would often remain seated and carefully watched. He may not have had a notebook to jot down pointers whenever they gave themselves hints and ideas but she was more than certain that he was mentally making note of every move and spoken word.

One morning when their practice session was over Natasha held Steve back and as she watched Loki leave she turned to the captain with a curious proposition. One he smiled at and acknowledged when the details were clear.

When Steve announced he was on his way to the gym Natasha, T'Challa, Bruce and Tony suggested they all go and practice together and as usual Loki would follow them to watch, only this time their session was going to be a little different.

Once inside the gym Tony locked the door and joined Steve in the middle as they stretched. Natasha sat next to Loki and said, "Care to join us today?"

"No, thank you. If it's all right I'll just watch."

"Come on, I wanna see what you've got. No one is going to pick on you; no one here is going to make fun of you. I've seen the way you just sit there and study our every move. Something tells me you're more than capable of fending off enemies. I saw the way you fought off Thor back in Stark's tower. I also know you weren't giving 100% and I want to see it."

Natasha stood up and urged Loki to follow her. He dropped his shoulders and hesitated but as she walked towards the small group they all urged him to come over. He sighed deeply as he slowly stood up from the chair and walked towards them at an even slower pace. He watched the floor as he approached them and with hesitance he smiled at them in the hopes that they would tell him to sit back down but it was not to be.

"So, I imagine you were trained as Thor was with swords and axes and other pointy, metal medieval weapons, right?" Tony asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow as a smile warped his face. Loki nodded while looking down.

"You also strike me as someone who would actually think before jumping the gun and rushing into battle on a horse and wielding an axe." Steve put in as he shifted his eyes up and down somehow studying Loki's frame and while he concentrated on the question he felt incredibly uncomfortable. "You're more of the type to actually make a strategy and would prefer to retreat to fight another day than to aimlessly charge in and quite possibly get killed. Don't get me wrong but Thor's been known to just charge in without a plan and it doesn't always get the desired effect."

"Yeah, Thor's more of a cannon. Whenever things get really messy we just tend to let him loose and hope to God he doesn't get himself or bystanders killed." Loki laughed lightly at the description because he knew Tony was right. Thor was reckless and often put the practice of "kill first and ask questions later" into play more often than he should.

T'Challa stepped forward and with a smile asked, "Were you all trained the same?"

"More or so, yes." There was a hint of embarrassment in his voice and T'Challa certainly picked up on it.

T'Challa frowned as he placed a hand on his chin and as he closed his eyes he stated, "That, my friend, is a mistake. Every person is different, I cannot train in the same way you have been trained and you cannot train in the same way Natasha has. Perhaps you shy away because they did not properly see to your needs much less take into account your strengths and weaknesses. Yes?"

"No, they did not. They all just assumed I would be able to follow suit with the rest of the warriors and when I was not able to it…" Loki lowered his eyes as he rubbed his left arm remembering a sparring session gone horribly wrong.

T'Challa received the message all too well and while tracing Loki's frame with his eyes he stood near him and placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder and said, "Those days are far behind you. Here it is different and different is not a bad thing. Perhaps they allowed mocking and fiery competition in practice and training in Asgard but here I do not allow it for it is in mocking and competition that you lose sight of the real goal which is to learn. If you feel comfortable with us you can join us in our training sessions. I realize you rely almost entirely on magic but it is good to have more than one option in the battlefield."

Loki nodded but then slowly turned to look at the door and Tony chuckled, "Don't worry, the door is locked and Jarvis can warn us when anyone is approaching and if it's your brother you're so worried about we can have our own sessions on our own and you won't have to worry about him walking in. He's going to have a _very_ long and busy day." Tony rubbed his hands together and a mischievous smile adorned his face as he cackled. When Natasha had come over to him with the proposition he had anticipated Thor would want to join them along and knowing Loki would definitely shy away and refuse while his brother watched he assigned Clint, Hank and Jan to keep him busy with random tasks outside of the mansion. Most likely Jan forced them to accompany her to the shopping center and knowing Jan she would be there all day long.

Loki nodded again and the group lit up. Steve had once asked Thor about their training and if he was correct they would need a completely different approach with Loki. Steve, T'Challa and Natasha stood in front of Loki and examined him. After a few minutes T'Challa broke the silence.

"I am certain you remember everything they taught you in Asgard, correct?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now forget everything."

"I beg your pardon?" Loki asked while looking at T'Challa with a curious look on his face.

"Yes, you heard correctly. Forget everything they taught you except for your training in swords. That, we will look into much later. For now I would like to see how you would handle yourself with hand to hand combat and in order to do so you would need to erase everything they tried to teach you in that aspect. I want to bring out your strengths, whatever they may be."

Loki frowned but Tony quickly stepped up and interjected, "Oh, come on, you think Steve got to where he is now by moping around like that? No! Well…he was tested on like a lab rat and it turned out to work out for him. He was a shrimp; seriously, I'll show you a picture so you can laugh. He was skinnier than you are!"

"Thanks, Tony, for that lovely boost of confidence." Steve sneered as he stared at Tony.

"And Bruce!" Tony grabbed Bruce by the arm and shook him as he continued to talk, "Even if Steve still looked like he did back in the day he could beat up Bruce with his shrimpy arms and chicken legs."

"Wow." Was all Steve said while trying to contain a bit of laughter as he looked at Bruce trying to adjust his glasses and fixing his shirt.

"The only way Bruce is able to do anything to defend himself is either pick up a gun, which we all know he won't, or turn green and go on a rampage._ I_ can handle myself, not perfectly well but enough to at least bring down one guy at a time but my strength is given with the suit. I wear the suit when I'm out there but I also practice here because you never know what is going to happen out there."

Their arguments were valid and while Loki was able to handle himself he stopped and analyzed the current situation. He would be taking extra points and he was watching Natasha, Tony and Steve and while their movements, stances and techniques were strange they seemed effective and given that he had already resorted to none traditional means of battling taking up techniques from Midgard that could suit him best was definitely not out of the question. He looked to the group and agreed but only if he was allowed to go at his own pace and was not forced to practice in front of Thor. The small group agreed to the terms and began.

"Now, the best thing about you, and correct me if I'm wrong I'm solely basing this on what Thor has told us, is that you can handle weapons, have some knowledge of hand to hand and to top it all off your magical abilities for an offensive and defensive are superb. All in all you're a pretty dangerous individual." Steve affirmed with a wide smile as he looked at Loki. "When a weapon is out, you still have all of your limbs and if the need should ever arise you have magic as well and something tells me that if you fuse all three there will be nothing to stop you."

"Not to mention your build is smaller than Thor's so it means you can easily rely on speed and nimbleness which will work great for what I have in mind." Natasha added. "Also, sticking to one huge weapon as opposed to dozens of well hidden weapons is a better choice but you already knew that. Nothing wrong with huge swords and broad axes but if that doesn't suit you it shouldn't be forced on you."

The rest of the morning continued in lessons from each member and while Loki was very well aware of these lessons he still listened carefully and attentively. He appreciated the fact that none of them pushed something he felt uncomfortable with on him and instead worked to get his strengths out. He also felt an indescribable ease when he was not mocked when he took to something new and tried to practice it but failed to execute it correctly. He appreciated that even more. By noon he felt comfortable enough to have lost himself in practice and sparring and the group found that his quick wits and fast learning was not limited to just books.

This was now integrated into their routines. For weeks Loki would sneak away with Natasha, Steve, T'Challa and Tony to practice and within a week he was able to keep up with Natasha's fighting form, Tony's dirty boxing as some had come to call it, Steve's techniques and T'Challa's way of integrating small and large knives, spears and short swords with hand to hand combat and magic. Loki was surprised when T'Challa encouraged him to fuse his magic with the weapons and the fighting to create more powerful blows and to perfectly time a force field to block a hit he was sure he was not able to withstand.

At one point in time Loki grew curious of the Midgardian weapons known as guns and inquired Natasha about them so Natasha sated his curiosity by introducing him to them. While he found the weapons odd he was sure it would not hurt to learn of them. It took a long time for him to grow accustomed to the weight of a small hand gun and how to properly hold one and use it. He was uncomfortable with them overall but as he often thought that moving forward and exploring other options was always a good strategy he gave his entire attention to the lessons Natasha gave him on it.

Between learning of Midgard, researching on science, the private lessons and socializing with his brother and the Avengers Loki was shaping up to be a completely different creature. He was still Loki at his core but he carried himself with an air of peace and confidence Thor had never seen before. What made Thor happier was that overwhelming happiness Loki seemed to portray and actually feel. The way he would interact with them and how smiling was something he often did, how he seemed to avoid lying all together, how he behaved overall caused Thor a great sense of pride and happiness. He often reverted his thoughts to Asgard and wondered about his family and friends. Surely he knew Hiemdall could see and hear all that went on in the mansion but he did not care. Even after all this time he was still furious at how his father had handled the situation, he sometimes felt a need to ask how Loki felt about that but given the fact that he was happy in Midgard he felt he did not need to bring him any misery by reminding him of his last interaction with Odin. Thor knew he would have to return to Asgard eventually but that visit would be left for another time. At the moment he wanted to focus on Loki.

What Thor did not know was that Loki would often lie awake in bed thinking about his mother. Despite everything he missed her very much and while he was more than capable of crossing the border between the realms to send a thought to her he dared not out of fear of invoking the one eyed king's wrath. He wanted to let his mother know he was doing well and that he was happy beside his brother and what he recently came to call his friends. Yes, internally he would acknowledge them as friends even if he had not heard them acknowledge him as a friend but he felt a connection to each of them in their own way. He would send a message to her in some way but he knew not when.

"Oh, man, not this shit again. I told you to drop it, Rogers." Tony's voice was laced with a poisonous hiss of anger as he walked into the mansion.

"No, I'm not going to drop it! I told you not to go off and what do you do? Go off and do exactly what I told you not to do!" Steve chased Tony while pointing his index finger at Tony who was heading towards the elevator.

"Guys, please, that's enough. Next time we just need to be more organized and careful." Jan intercepted the duo with her input but it seemed like Tony and Steve were about to start a fight of their own. The arguments continued as the group made their way to the second floor and into the medical room. They had been called in to handle a sentinel that had been sent in to hunt for some people known as mutants and while they did defeat the grandiose machine it seemed the team was not synchronized well that day.

They walked in tired and hurt especially Jan, Hank, Clint, Thor, Tony and Steve who had been battered the worst. It seemed that a few bad decisions had been made by Tony but he thought he was in the right while Steve thought Tony was wrong and in the heat of the argument their team had lost synchronization and suffered a few heavy blows.

Loki had noticed them walking in so he went down to greet them only to be stunned by the sight. He had seen them hurt before but this was more of a beating and the arguing amongst them was evidence enough to let Loki know that their mission had not gone as smoothly as they had hoped.

He approached Thor and examined his face which was scratched and bruised but the worst injury had been done to his right arm. His elbow was inflamed and had apparently hurt enough for Thor to carry Mjolnir with his left. Loki frowned at his brother and carefully placed both hands on his injured elbow. Even with the lightest of touches Thor still felt the pain shoot up his arm but he would never flinch much less when he could see the worry on Loki's face.

The arguing continued in the background while Loki concentrated. His hands began to glow in a subtle green tinged light. He held his hands about an inch from Thor's elbow, one hand on top and the other on the bottom, encasing the injured elbow. After a few seconds Loki then placed both hands with their palms up and next to each other making sure both thumbs made contact with each other. He kept his hands at a distance from Thor and raised them high above his head.

Loki closed his eyes and a circle appeared above Thor who stood still while watching his brother work. The pride and joy in his eyes were brighter than the light emitting from the circle. The circle moved down and through Thor as Loki lowered his hands slowly and everything the circle touched was mended and cleaned. Not even Thor's hair was bristled.

As soon as the circle disappeared when touching the ground under Thor's feet Loki opened his eyes to examine his brother and as if to let him know all was well without the use of words Thor lifted his once injured arm and stretched it out and moved it freely. Loki sighed in relief and Thor wrapped his right arm around Loki's neck drawing him into a hug.

"Hey, I want in on that!" Jan said.

While concentrating on the task at hand Loki had failed to notice the arguing had dwindled down and eventually stopped. When he turned to look behind him the group had stood in silence as they watched him heal Thor without so much as using a band-aid. Jan had broken the silence as she walked over to Loki who took a step back as she enthusiastically grabbed him by the arm. Loki nodded seriously and proceeded to repeat the process.

After the circle disappeared Jan felt a strange tingling sensation over her body and nothing ached. She smiled as she looked at her hands which had been hurting since their encounter with the sentinel. After giggling she lunged forward and wrapped both arms around Loki and squeezed as hard as she could while cheerfully stating, "Ha! Thanks, sweetheart!"

Jan then left to clean up and change out of her uniform, there was a peculiar hop in her step as she walked away and Loki could not help but smile while blushing at Jan's statement. His attention was then drawn to Clint and the rest of the team who had apparently formed a line behind Jan also "wanting in" on what Loki had done.

After everyone had been cared for Loki had been drowned in praise and gratitude, most expressively from Tony who went ahead and tousled Loki's neatly brushed hair until it was standing on end and going in different directions while laughing and saying, "This is great! Thanks a lot, sport!"

Loki did not mind, he had grown accustomed to getting his hair ruffled and messed and to be honest he did not need to stand on ceremony for anyone. This was a mansion not a palace and there was no one around for him to need to act his age or according to his status, which he no longer had and above all else he did not have to fear being and acting as he so chose around these people, these friends.

After the group left only Thor remained who contently sat down and watched his brother and the biggest smile had formed on his face. Loki looked at him in question and the large Asgardian rose up and once more placed his right arm around his neck. This time drawing him close and placing a kiss on the side of Loki's head which made Loki smile wide and return the hug. After a few silent moments Loki backed away and looked up at Thor who hugged him once more and in that moment of sincerity Thor spoke words Loki never thought he would ever be a recipient to.

"I am so proud of you."

It was enough to make him cry but he was not going to, he had cried enough to leave him tearless for another millennium. His only response was to wrap both arms around his older brother and squeezed as much as he could, taking in his frame against his.

It was around 5:23 in the afternoon and Natasha had retreated to the conformities of her bedroom. They had had a long day out in the field and during the morning the select group of tutors had a tough practice session but at least it had gone far better than expected. Loki was indeed a very quick study and as Natasha and T'Challa found out that morning Loki had a very nasty left hook and the fact that he was not too prone to using kicks but when he did he was sure to make his aim true and powerful, not to mention that he had confessed to Clint that he often visited the gym late at night to put into more practice what he had been taught that very morning.

Natasha placed her laptop on the desk and turned it on to give her daily report as she waited for her hair to dry. Once booted up she made the connection to communicate with Fury. She had been asked to use this form of communication solely for the fact that Fury wanted to see her reactions and hear her voice pattern. She did not blame him for the precautions; after all, she had once doubted Loki's intentions and behavior as well.

"Agent Romanoff, how are you this evening?" The digitized voice of Fury inquired.

"Very well, sir. Reporting for the day."

"Ah, good, good. How is the Avengers' pet?" Straight to the point as usual.

"Director, he's not a pet." There was no offense in her voice. She did have to admit that at times Tony was prone to treating Loki strangely as if he was some sort of project or as the director said, a pet.

"With these reports and everything going on in there and the way most behave around him you'd think he was." Fury chuckled and Natasha made note of the fact that there was no malice behind that chuckle.

"Director…have you had the time to look over the file I sent you?"

Fury's face went sour. He knew exactly what file she spoke of and it was a file he sat through once and did not ever wish to see again. At the mere mention of it he cringed and uncomfortably shifted about in his seat as frames from the file bombarded him. Nevertheless he gave a response, "Yes, I have. Very disturbing footage and if it weren't for the fact that it was evidence I'd burn it but the most I can do is store it away and try to not to think of it. The screaming was the worst part."

"It was obscene." Natasha corrected. "Anyways, is anything going to be done about Gage and his team?"

"They have already been _handled_."

Natasha noted the way the director voiced the last word and she quickly realized exactly what he meant by that. Still, she wondered where they had been sent to. "I'll pass the information to agent Barton. He'll be glad to know."

"Shouldn't it be Loki the one to hear of this news?"

"He…didn't wish to pursue the matter in terms of them answering for what they did. He doesn't even acknowledge it. The last time one of us brought up the subject he wrapped both arms around his stomach and asked us to completely forget it ever happened."

Fury was stunned, every report Natasha sent in seemed more and more out of place and even now he often doubted they spoke of the same individual from almost two years ago. His curiosity had reached its boiling point and said in a commanding voice, "Whenever you think it's possible have them all swing by. I want to talk to him; I want to see his reactions and his movements. I want to see the way he portrays his sincerity."

"Yes, sir." Natasha answered and the screen went black as the program shut down. She closed the laptop and sighed. Over time Fury's hostility had dwindled and she was thankful for it. Usually when Fury did not want something he usually made a point to glare and rave until his demands were met but oddly enough he had calmed down. Natasha was not sure if that was an entirely bad thing or a good thing. Either way she was sure they would find out eventually.

It had been a very long time since Tony had been startled awake by Jarvis sounding an alarm. Tony rattled himself from under the blankets in a rush, he knew he had heard the digitized voice of Jarvis speaking with an alarmed tone but the fuzz in his head had not cleared. He blinked his eyes rapidly and after getting his eyesight back on track he sat up on the bed and rubbed his forehead.

"Sir, I have an urgent message from SHIELD director Nicholas Fury! He asks that you answer immediately!"

Tony groaned loudly as he slumped over on the pillow and closed his eyes thinking that it was far too early to hear Fury's voice screaming at him. Nevertheless he sat back up and said in a groggy voice, "Fine, fine, fine. Patch 'im through."

"Very good, sir." Jarvis answered.

"Stark, we have a situation here."

"Ugh, what is it, Fury? And more importantly isn't there someone else you can bother?"

"We don't have time for your pompous and snarky attitude. Get your team together and get your asses to the building. I'm sure you remember where it is. And when I mean your team I also mean your little pet."

Tony rolled his eyes as he answered, "I'll be sure to dress Cujo in his finest collar and brush his teeth before we leave."

"I want you people here in one hour! Not one minute after or I'm coming down there and getting you all myself!"

Tony sighed, how he hated being ordered around. He also hated the fact that he had to go down to Fury and also hated the fact that his urgency was probably overblown and whatever problem was present, if there even was one, could probably be resolved in less than thirty minutes. He dropped back on the bed with enough force to make his oversized bed quake. He placed a hand over his eyes and groaned while thinking that maybe it was best to do as Fury had said because he was sure as hell not going to answer the door if Fury did show up at his front door.

After dressing he had asked Jarvis to alert everyone to dress and meet him in the living room. After he dressed himself he had gathered everyone, including Loki, and informed them of Fury's orders. Natasha seemed a bit uneasy as did Clint but it was nothing compared to the look of hostility on Thor's face. Tony had noticed how he placed himself in front of Loki at the mention of SHIELD as if protecting him but what Tony had not voiced was that if he felt there was anything out of order they would leave and if need be fight their way out.

Eventually they all complied and as tough as it was Thor was calmed down and was reassured that nothing was going to happen to Loki as each Avenger swore to not let any harm come to Loki. While Thor believed his friends and knew they would do all within their power to help he was set on not letting his guard down. Even as they approached the building Thor's frame stiffened and as they entered the building his face was almost stone.

Loki on the other hand was as wary as a fox on the inside but was as calm as a wolf on the outside. He had been victimized in that building and the last time the people working there had seen him he was a bloody mess on the brink of bleeding to death and as they walked people whispered as they watched him walking. Whispers of "I thought he was dead" and "I can't believe he survived" filled the halls and in a twisted way Loki loved the reactions. Sure it was embarrassing to think that the last time those people had seen him he was being carried out and most likely bleeding all over the neatly waxed floor of the building but the looks of shock on their faces fed his ego. He walked calmly, shoulders upright, nose almost in the air and a quiet sinister smirk at the thought that they were surprised he had survived adorned his features. Still he felt a bit sick in his stomach at the thought of what he had gone through.

Natasha and Clint had led them to the last floor of the tall building. The entire floor looked like a war room and the bustling within it could almost be mistaken for a crowd ready for war and complete destruction. Screens, computers, files upon files and people busily running back and forth crowded the floor.

No one seemed to pay much attention to the Avengers and company much less when a huge door opened and out stepped a tall one eyed man. He stepped forward and the floor seemed to quiet down if only by a fraction. Fury turned his head quickly signaling them to follow him and so they did.

Once through the huge door they were in a long white hallway. The wall they came face to face with had doors as far as the eye could see. Fury had opened one of the doors and pointed a finger at Loki as he said, "You. Tall, dark and crazy."

Thor snarled at the last word. His brother was not crazy and he was not about to let some mortal insult his family. Thor stepped up and stood in front of Loki while glaring at the director and in a low tone hissed, "Choose your words carefully, mortal. Should you insult my family once more it will be your last action." Steve slightly bumped his shoulder against Thor's and when the thunderer looked to Steve he saw the captain slightly shaking his head. After letting out a frustrated sigh Thor turned his attention back to Fury.

"Have a seat in here while I have a word with your pals."

"Noooo, he stays with _us_." Tony immediately intervened.

"No, he stays _here_." Fury's tone was cold and serious and it matched his face perfectly well.

The two men stared each other down but Loki was staring at both and before anything got out of hand he slightly raised his hands in the air as he walked over to Fury and said, "So be it."

"Brother, wait—"

"I will be fine." Loki looked back at the group with a smile. "If their intentions were to imprison any of us they would have incapacitated us the moment we had walked in," Loki then turned to Fury with a sour look on his face and said, "But that is not what you intend to do, now is it?"

"No, it isn't." Fury answered and to Loki's surprise the man had eased up his facial and body language. Loki shrugged and walked into the room and Fury closed the door behind him. Once inside he saw a lone metal chair in the middle of the well lit room. A sudden rush of panic washed over Loki as he remembered the lone chair in the small cell he had been tortured in but he composed himself quickly and sat down facing the wall in front of him.

Fury stared at Loki through the one way glass wall in front of him. He made a scoff at the way Loki almost looked like a normal person while dressed as a civilian. The dark loose fitting jeans, the brown hoodie with the subtle green details and the boots almost made him seem normal and not so threatening at all.

On either side of Fury were two men operating two laptops and clicking away at the keys as two separate screens emerged from the long desk they were sitting in that covered the room wall to wall. Fury walked over to the desk and clicked several keys on a separate computer that sat in the middle and from the roof close to the walls came two more screens.

The Avengers watched carefully as the screens came into view and even though Tony was aware of the contents in the screens he said nothing but watched very carefully. Fury then walked to his right to one of the men and pressed a key as he leaned in on the laptop.

"All right, if you don't mind we have some questions for you but seeing as how you have a bit of a reputation we can't just assume you're telling the truth out of good will. So to help you out in that department and put my mind at ease we'll be giving you a little…push."

Loki rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth and turned from the wall in front of him. Suddenly a dart flew out of the right wall and landed on Loki's upper shoulder. He groaned loudly, not out of pain but by the surprise of the dart. As he motioned to remove the dart Fury commanded him not to remove it and as he heard the ruffling sound of feet scurrying about. He then turned to the people behind him and calmly said, "Truth serum, harmless as it is it's going to…persuade him to tell the truth."

Thor looked to Tony who nodded and in a disbelieving tone asked, "You doubt my brother?"

"And you don't? Forgive me but seeing as how you have thousands of years of advantage over me in knowing him I don't, and trusting him is not going to be easy."

Fury then turned to Loki and began his inquiries. Simple questions such as his name, color of his eyes, from where he hailed. Questions used to test the equipment to make sure it properly worked for the coming questions that were important. After the two technicians in the room confirmed that the equipment worked flawlessly Fury punched in a few keys and with his right arm pointed to the screen on the right side of the room.

On Loki's end a part of the wall before him flickered and a video played. The same video that Thor and the others could see and hear. Everyone laid curious eyes upon the contents safe for Fury who had already seen the video. His eye was intensely locked on Loki, studying every move and reaction no matter how subtle.

The video had been taped by someone with a small camcorder in what appeared to be a park of some sort in a remote location. None of that was important, what was important was the woman that the cameraman had been filming. The tall, blonde woman approached the camera holder and as she did she lifted her arm and a white light emitted from her palm as she spoke.

"Avengers of Midgard, in your possession you have two items of interest to Karnilla the Norn queen. The queen demands that her crystals be returned with haste, you are given a month to retrieve them, and I strongly suggest you use your time wisely. In the event that you cannot retrieve said crystals or have run out of time you may compensate the queen by bestowing the damned trickster to her. Alive or dead, she cares not. Fail to produce either of these demands or both and we raze Midgard to dust."

As the woman, Enchantress, finished speaking she waved her glowing hand above her and vanished into thin air. The screen where Fury was had returned to display its previous content and the wall where Loki was had faded away and he could see his brother and his friends as well as the director and two other men.

Thor looked to Loki in disbelief and with his mouth agape he searched his brother's face. He could barely piece the puzzle together but deep inside he knew Loki would provide them with all the answers. Loki on the other hand lowered his gaze as he felt all their eyes resting upon him. He closed his eyes and lifted his gaze to rest it upon the group before him. Lament, shame and disbelief emitted from his eyes as he saw everything he had gained burn away in that instant.

"Who is that woman?" Fury's voice cut the silence.

"Amora the Enchantress." Loki said flatly as he stared at the floor.

"Why is she asking for these crystals and why would this queen want them so badly? I'm also assuming she was talking about you. Search every fiber in your being and tell us the truth. Choose your words very carefully, Loki."

The truth was simple but it was hard to admit to when a lie could so easily spare him from losing all he had recently gained. Friends, trust, peace of mind and his brother all hung in the balance. Fury was right, Thor knew Loki well enough to know all signs of him fabricating a lie. No matter how he ridiculed his older brother for being far less intelligent he and Thor shared one of many common traits: Thor picked up small details when focused and right now the god of thunder was very focused.

Loki sighed and gave in, not to the instinct of lying but to tell the truth. Redemption was a long hard road and often times one would travel it alone. Up until that moment Loki had thought he did not need to travel it alone but he was sure he would have to after confessing.

"After I was imprisoned in Asgard I sought to seek revenge on Thor." Loki's face went sour but as flat as he sounded his glazed eyes betrayed him. "I had heard of a crystal, at the time I believed it was one, forged by Hela herself that could prevent death. Taking on the Avengers all at once would have been suicide and foolish. I also came across news that Skurge had visited Midgard on orders of Amora so I used his rage of defeat at the hands of the Avengers to manipulate him into being a distraction after promising him their deaths and Thor's hammer." His lower jaw trembled as he recalled every detail and shamefully admitted to his plan. "I visited the Norn queen in the guise of Thor and asked the queen to spare a crystal. She was hesitant, she had stolen the crystals from Hela for her own gain and feared that word of the deed would reach Hela so I was denied the crystals. I informed her that Amora and Skurge also knew of the crystals and that she had them in her possession. Her fear grew but I quenched it by informing her that after I had used the crystal I would deliver them to her."

"Karnilla informed me that there were in fact four crystals but said I would only need one of them but to keep it on me before, during and sometime after so the effects of death would not affect me. I then turned to Skurge as a temporary ally. I granted him some minor form of power to battle the Avengers while I sought out my brother to slay him." Tears were now crawling down both of Loki's cheeks as he looked to the window.

Thor and the others were shocked. They knew Loki had returned to Midgard to kill Thor but they had not realized how elaborate his plan really had been and Tony bemused at the crystal he had found on Loki when they had taken him back to the mansion. Anger began to boil within him as he thought that Skurge injuring him had been a plot to gain access to Thor but it seemed illogical. Loki could have killed Thor while they had been distracted by Skurge but he had not. Furthermore, Loki had at one point been granted the freedom to roam the mansion as he pleased and as Clint would put it Loki could have killed his brother or them in their sleep especially after having turned off the device that forced Loki to hold his magic at bay. Tony also remembered Loki's behavior, that night after he had been brought back from SHIELD's cell and his break down. As logic set in his anger lessened until it was no more and he hoped his teammates' anger would subside as well, if they felt any.

"How did you accomplish all of this if you were imprisoned?"

"My cell had been treated to hold my magic but I found its treatment was not as strong as they had hoped. It was limited but I was able to use projections to the outside world. When my plan had come together and all was ready I was able to subdue the guards and teleported out of my cell and left for Midgard."

"Why did you not inform Stark or Thor or anyone about that plan or the crystal? You knew it had been lent and it was expected of you—or Thor—to return it."

"…I do not know." The answer was vague but it was as sincere as the tears in his eyes and as he continued he tried to hold back a sob as his answers continued, "I wanted to confess to Thor but I was afraid…"

"Afraid of what?" Fury asked.

"I—I thought…" Loki stood from the chair and paced about in the room while clutching his head with both hands slightly tugging at his hair and stammering as he sobbed, "I was given a second chance and—and I planned to act upon said chance." Loki was now pulling at his hair viciously as if he needed the comfort of some form of pain.

"Loki, calm down." Fury said in a stoic tone obviously devoid of concern. "What were you afraid of?"

Loki sobbed loudly as he continued to pull on his hair and managed to say between breathless sobs, "I was afraid that…he—they—wouldn't love me anymore…" At the end of that sentence Loki dropped to the cold floor and sat down with his legs crossed under him and swinging back and forth while viciously tugging at his hair with both hands.

Fury then decided to keep pushing Loki for answers but most importantly he wanted to test his sincerity. "So you failed to kill Thor in Las Vegas. Did you plan to try again after they brought you to Stark's mansion in California?"

"Yes." Loki sobbed.

"Why didn't you?"

Loki kept silent for a while though he continued to swing back and forth while violently tugging his hair and sniffling loudly as he sobbed. Fury looked to the screens that displayed his heart rate and voice patterns. Once again he leaned in close and repeated the question, "Why didn't you try to kill Thor or any of them?"

"Because of her." Loki answered as he pointed his finger towards the group while hanging his head low. Everyone in the room turned to Jan and in turn she softened her eyes and smiled at Loki as the corner of her eyes watered. The team nodded in agreement and smiled as well. She had accomplished a great feat that not many could boast about and she took pride in it.

"What does Miss Van Dyne have to do with any of it?" Fury kept pushing forward.

"Listened when no one else would. Shifted my line of sight to see everything clearly. Forced me to see how I misdirected my anger towards my brother. She made me see that everyone, even gods, deserve a second chance to correct themselves." Loki slowly turned his head to face Jan and as his tearful eyes locked with hers he continued, "I owe her more than I could ever hope to repay. I am eternally in her debt."

Fury sighed deeply and continued with the questions. He felt he was close to what he wanted to hear but it was not there yet. "So this grudge you had is over? No more trying to conquer or killing anyone? How are we supposed to believe you suddenly turned your entire life around? How do we know if you're just setting a trap to kill us or your brother?" This only managed to gain a momentary angry reaction from Loki who stood up and grabbed the metal chair with both hands and hurled it at the window.

"Because in my heart there is no room! Is that what you want to hear?! That no matter how much I claim to hate him I could only say it but could never truly feel it within me! As jealous as I was of him and at often times felt hatred towards all others for treating me as if I was nothing I could never truly hate my brother because of all in my life he was the only who looked at me—_really_ looked at me and saw _me_ instead of what the others saw. All of Asgard I would happily slay but I could never slay the one person who actually loved me and now that includes them! Is that answer enough for you, you one eyed troll?!"

Fury sighed and looked to both technicians who nodded to Fury and an incredulous look was shed over his face but as quickly as it appeared it disappeared when he returned his gaze towards Loki who placed both hands on his face and dropped back to the floor and sobbed, "I'm sorry, Thor, for everything I have ever done to you. I am so sorry. I am also sorry for the grievances I have brought upon your friends…send me back to Karnilla and spare yourselves the trouble."

Thor stood straight and approached the desk where Fury was standing and slightly pushed him aside as he spoke into the intercom, "You have a lot to rectify, brother of mine. I believe you to never have been truly evil but misguided and while I and others of Asgard are to blame for it you also acted upon the wrong choices. I also know that you wish to correct past mistakes and seek out forgiveness. Redemption is a burden that most try to carry out and few succeed but know this, I will stand by you in this task and forever more."

"So will I." Jan said aloud as she stepped forward and stood next to Thor.

"Me too, buddy." Hank confirmed.

"Count me in too!" Bruce said as a smile formed in his face.

"I'm with you, soldier!" Steve spoke out.

"Don't forget about me, sport." Tony said as he smiled at Thor and then at Loki.

"Add me to that list!" Clint yelled and it earned a shocked look from Fury.

"I shall stand by your side in this task and many more, my friend." T'Challa announced and it garnered more agreements from the team.

"I'll be at your side as well." Natasha avowed as she smiled.

Thor had turned to face his friends and while hearing each plead to take Loki's side and prove that they still thought of him as a friend his eyes swelled with joy and gratitude. He smiled at them and they smiled back.

Fury looked to the group and his stoic expression turned soft at the sight. He then turned to the glass wall and told Loki he could remove the dart from his arm. As Loki did he hugged himself as he gently rocked himself back and forth as tears fled his eyes.

"You can go see him now." Fury motioned towards Thor but held Tony back as the group left to tend to Loki. Tony looked to the screens in front of the technicians while Fury said, "It seems like he was telling the truth."

"If you used these to monitor him then why did you shoot him up with truth serum?" Tony asked as he saw the results with his own eyes. Part of him was surprised but another part was not since that part knew Loki was being truthful.

"Truth serums don't work for shit. That dart contained water with some sugar. Placebo effect, Mr. Stark, will work on anyone whether they are human or gods. I merely wanted to test him."

Tony scuffed as a smile formed in his face and he shook his head. He then proceeded to join the rest of the team who had calmed Loki down after reassuring him he had not lost them. When Tony walked in he patted Loki in the back and gave him a brief one armed hug which Loki returned.

"So how are you going to handle this small problem, Avengers?" Fury asked as he walked into the room.

The group smiled at each other and Steve stood up and declared with a strong tone, "We'll get the crystals and take them back, come hell or high water. No harm will come to Earth…or Loki!" The group cheered on and Fury nodded as he laid his eye on every person in the room eventually settling his eye on Loki.

"Sorry about the interrogation, we needed to be sure you were telling the truth and according to our computers you told the truth. You passed with flying colors."

Loki stared blankly at the director, he knew very well that no one was going to trust him at first but he still felt angry that he had ended up somewhat victimized by SHIELD once more. He stood up and looked the director in the eye and said, "I am very well aware of the fact that I will have to start over again with all the nine realms. Slowly I have gained my brother's trust and I hope to rectify all I have done. If you needed to be certain if I spoke the truth you could have used other methods. There was no need of the serum."

"Well, since we're being honest I might as well inform you that we don't use truth serums, they never work. That was just water with sugar we injected into your veins. Not harmful at all. I had to test you."

Loki frantically shifted his eyes as he studied the director's face, he slightly narrowed his eyes but softened them as a small part of him then realized he had been tricked and by a mortal no less. Again. Still, he could not help but feel somewhat angry. He wanted to yell but a half hearted chuckle escaped his throat as he expressively stammered, "You—water with sugar? Then how in the nine realms—you are a deceitful, conniving bastard!"

"Oh, this coming from someone who practically lies even when taking a piss." Fury retorted in a bemused tone as he smiled.

Even though Loki noticed no hostility in the director's words he still felt the need to verbally beat him down but he felt no desire to match wits much less be eloquent. He was tired and admitted he was hungry and eager to come up with a plan to solve their current situation. Loki folded his arms across his chest and blurted out words that made the director flinch in shock.

"In the words of your people, fuck off, you toilet-bowl licking dick-cheese!"

With that Loki left the room and Fury gave chase also shouting childish insults and claiming they were not done but it seemed like Loki was done. Half of the room erupted in laughter even if some tried to contain the urge to laugh while the other half which consisted of Tony, Hank and Thor remained silent while watching the rest of them laugh.

Bruce groaned loudly as he crossed one arm across his chest and with the other pinched the area between his eyes as he shut his eyes for a moment. He then faced his friends and while trying to hold back some laughter as Loki's words echoed in his head he asked, "Who taught him that?"

"I did _not_ teach him that!" Tony stated as she tried hard to hold back his laughter.

"Ha!" Clint exclaimed as he tried to gasp for air. He leaned forward and placed both hands on his knees as he kept laughing. He then raised his hand up and continued to laugh as Jan who was standing next to Clint slightly raised her hand but quickly lowered it as she quickly walked outside saying, "So I'm gonna go outside and say hello…to someone…anyone."

"Aaww, Janet." Hank said as he placed his right palm on his face and shook it slightly.

The laughter in the room quieted down but before calm could overtake them, Thor, who had been very quiet all along looked at the group in question and whispered to Hank, "What is a dick-cheese?"

The room immediately broke out in laughter once more, especially Clint and Tony who snorted as they laughed uncontrollably. Tony had to admit it was funny hearing the two Asgardians using Earthly insults when all along they heard Thor and Loki talking like royalty. He also admitted it was good to laugh especially after an intense situation like the one that had transpired a few minutes ago. Still they composed themselves so they could properly focus on their next move.


	13. Damnation's At The Door And I Brought Th

**Chapter 13:**  
**Damnation's At The Door And I Brought The Booze**

When Loki had been brought in from the Las Vegas he had passed out, which was fortunate because there were no medical supplies onboard the Quinjet and nothing to calm the pain. It also served purposeful to search Loki for any extra weapons he would be carrying. Beside the trident he had over a dozen small knives hidden away in every inch of his clothing he could hide away and a small sword easily tucked on the left side of his pants. Besides the weapons he had a crystal, which Tony gave no second thought to. Now that he knew, sort of, what the crystal was the Avengers rushed to the mansion at the request of Loki.

"So if he only took one of them how come this Amora said there were _crystals_ not _a_ crystal?" Tony questioned.

"It could be a trap of some sort." Hank added in.

"Aye, if Skurge attacked Loki and they had formed an alliance however brief it was it could be a trap set up by both of them." Thor jumped in when he returned from the basement with Loki and the crystal firmly in Loki's hands.

"Not just that, brother." Loki added as he patted Thor on the shoulder. "It is true that I had intended to leave Skurge here, I never actually figured he would be able to kill anyone so I would have left him here, powerless and defeated. He might have figured it all out when he saw me. I had never revealed my identity to him, doing so would have made things far more difficult. After retreating he would have sought out Amora and somehow convinced the Norn queen that it had been I who fooled her into giving me the crystal. It would appear that they stole the remaining crystals and did away with them blaming me for it."

"How do you know that?" Natasha asked as she walked in with two cups of coffee. She handed one to Clint and drank from the second one.

"A guess but an educated one nonetheless," Loki then turned to the group, "I can track down the rest of the crystals but it'll take time and I will only be able to point out the location of one at a time. I can use the crystal we already have as a honing beacon of sorts."

Loki then turned to look to the ceiling as most did when referring to Jarvis and with a confident smile said, "Jarvis, may I please have a hologram of the Midgardian map?"

"Certainly, sir." Jarvis answered.

Jarvis displayed before Loki a detailed map of the world. Loki looked at it carefully and hoped that none of the crystals had landed in the oceans. That would have been a hassle for sure. Loki cupped his hands together and formed a shell around the crystal and after a few seconds his hands began to glow with a faint green color. He closed his eyes as he began to concentrate.

After fifty-six minutes the rest of the team had sat down around the living room. No one had turned on the television in case the noise would distract Loki from his current task. Most of them were antsy but Thor, T'Challa, Natasha and especially Jan just kept watching Loki. He had been right about it taking a long time to track the crystals but eventually he opened his eyes again and with a victorious and devilish smirk he said, "Detroit, Michigan."

He turned to the group with an air of uncertainty that was mostly directed at the name of the place. The crystal still glowed and was hovering over the hologram of the world map, more specifically over Detroit. He looked to the Avengers seeking an answer on the place he had just mentioned. Tony moved towards the map as he placed one hand in his pocket and the other rubbing his chin. Loki looked at Tony as he studied the man's face, "Something is not right?"

"No, it's not that. Let me make a few phone calls. No sense in walking into Detroit blind and clueless. Should do well to check all criminal activity too. In the mean time we should get some pizzas in here ASAP." Tony said as he moved away from the group and reached for his cell phone.

Clint moved quickly to order a few pizzas for them while Tony made a few calls. The team parted ways and each tended to their own activities. Loki had retreated to his own room to attend to a matter he had pushed back for a while now. As he entered his room he locked the door behind him and leaned against it as he gathered his strength. He sighed deeply and sat at the edge of the bed and closed his eyes as he concentrated.

Frigga loved to spend time in the gardens, not as frequently as when her sons were in their single digits but nowadays she found herself spending countless hours in the gardens during the soft and warm afternoons. She would walk at a slow pace and would take in the therapeutic scent of the flowers who danced wildly in the wind as if putting on a show to the gentle goddess in her honor. What the flowers were unaware of was that they honored her with their gentleness and beauty. She found solace in their petals, their texture, their shapes and colors, their perfumes promising a fantastical escape from reality and a visit to better times.

The wind swept gently past the goddess but with enough force to carry her hair and dress in its gentle grasp like a dance partner dancing to the sound of an old and familiar song. Frigga hugged herself as she moved past the silky grass and turned her head to lay her eyes on the stream that raced through the gardens. She made her way towards the stream and once at its shore she kneeled down as she focused on the smooth rocks at the bottom of the stream. Warm memories wrapped themselves around her mind as she stretched an arm out and inserted her hand in the cool water.

"I always said these gardens lacked beauty when you were not present within them."

Frigga shook as she drew her damp hand to her mouth. Her eyes went wide and her mouth went agape as she then moved her other hand to her chest as if trying to contain her heart from beating out of its proper place. The voice that had spoken was familiar and one she thought she would never hear again.

She turned around slowly and right behind her sitting in a marble bench sat an oddly dressed figure but as soon as she dove into the figure's green eyes she stood up unceremoniously with her arms outstretched as if to catch the figure before it would disappear or she would awaken if this had been a dream.

He had stood up and mimicked her actions and mother and son embraced in a hug that produced a loud thud as both bodies crashed into each other. Frigga let out a startled sob as she squeezed her son with all of her might, desperately clenching him in a hug and in disbelief. For a moment both of them remained silent as the wind blew and the warm setting sun shun its last rays upon them. The only sound was that of the trees, grass, flowers and stream singing to them.

"Oh, my son, I have missed you so."

"And I you, Mother."

Frigga finally released her son but kept her hands wrapped around his arms. She scanned her eyes over her son and was pleased to find a very strange smile on his face and a strange light emitting from his eyes. Features she had not seen on him in long centuries but were a very welcome sight nonetheless.

"How do you fare? Are you well? Where have you been?"

"I am fine, Mother. It has been a hardship I had never imagined but it has led to many changes. Welcome changes. You need not worry about me." Loki placed one of his palms on his mother's cheek and with his thumb wiped away a stray tear.

"Come, we must speak to your father and reverse this banishment and all will be as it once was."

"Mother, nothing anyone could ever do will reverse what has transpired. My banishment is permanent and," Loki's eyes went dim for a moment as he looked away but placed his eyes back on his mother's, "I no longer wish to be a part of this place."

"Do not speak in such a manner. This is your home, this is where you grew up, this is where your family resides—" Desperation was engulfing Frigga as she looked to her son with pleading eyes, "Have you no love left for Asgard?"

"Asgard itself? Of course. You? No words off my silver tongue could possibly do justice to my love for you, Mother. Same can be said about my brother were he here. The rest of this place has no place in my heart."

Frigga closed her eyes and placed her face on Loki's chest as he wrapped his arms around her, giving her a gentle hug to soothe her but soon found he was also shedding tears. Not tears of sadness, he was convinced of never returning to Asgard not by the threat of death but by the change within him that had been caused by kindness and understanding and he would do anything to keep said change within him. He did feel remorse for abandoning his mother but despite his hate for his father he knew he would care for her and Thor would also return to Asgard eventually and she would be in better hands. There was no need for the trickster in Asgard much less when he knew he was not wanted by most of them.

"Where will you stay?" Frigga inquired through muffled sounds as she kept her face buried in Loki's shirt.

"In Midgard. I have found a place amongst Thor and his allies. The irony is almost comical." Loki informed her as a subtle chuckle escaped his lips.

"Will I ever see you again?"

"Of course you will. Good bye is not forever and if you will it I can return to visit but only _you_, Mother." Loki's tone was almost that of a warning. A small hint of sadness crept into him as he realized his mother only wanted to piece their broken family back together and he could not blame her for such a desire. Perhaps in long years if his father would for once stop to listen—really listen to what he had to say then there might be a chance that he may return but that notion was years away from being realized.

Frigga tightened her hug and a subtle sniffle escaped from her. She wanted to see her two sons back home but more than anything else she wished for their happiness and if it meant that she had to let go she would, painfully, oblige. She slightly nodded and brought her gentle eyes upon his and a smile formed. She wiped away her tears with one hand while still grasping his arm with the other, "Behave and take great care, my son. I eagerly await your visits and I promise it'll remain between us both—I only want happiness to reign over you as it once did."

Frigga lowered her gaze but Loki gently placed a hand under her chin and lifted her face and looked into her teary eyes. How he wished she would not cry, he meant not to cause her distress but this was something he knew he had to do. He knew if he would somehow have his banishment revoked he would return to his twisted ways and while a portion of himself found it rather rejuvenating and enriching it was only temporary and it would eventually be the cause of his destruction.

Loki had to admit even to himself that his desire to change was mostly due to a deep seated selfish desire. When he had seen how he was treated so differently in Midgard, the praises, the attention, the affection, the tolerance, and the freedom to be himself and fear no judgment or reprimand for his being had ignited a longing he had buried within his core for long centuries and now that he had that he was not going to give it up easily and without a fight. He did adulate the fact that in this selfish behavior he had been able to once again feel no hatred towards his brother and that was also something he had been craving for.

Still, there was sadness in the fact that he would have limited time with his mother and in that moment he wished he could turn back time to spend as much time as he could with her but he was comforted by the fact that he would often visit her. As far as he was aware he was not breaking any of his father's laws. Odin had made it clear that if he would set foot in Asgard again he would be put to death, this was true, but Odin never forbade him to set foot in Asgard again as a projected illusion. He was not known as a trickster for nothing. He laughed internally as he remembered Tony making a comment about him making the sneakiest and greatest lawyer on Earth. At the time he had not been aware of what a lawyer was but when he researched it and asked Jarvis for references he had laughed at the idea. It was those moments when he had not been condemned for being himself that pulled him to his brother and his friends.

He hugged his mother tightly and she returned the hug, after a few minutes he planted a gentle kiss on her brow and said, "Do not fret, Mother, I will return for another visit. Hopefully it'll last longer than this one and for that I apologize, I only wished to see you for a moment."

"I look forward to your next visit, my dear, sweet Loki." Frigga said as she in turn planted a kiss on his brow and as she caressed his cheeks with both hands she added, "It warms my heart to see you smiling and happy."

Loki could not resist the urge to hug his mother once more and when he did he almost squeezed the air out of her but she did not mind. Frigga inhaled sharply as she held back tears as to not make it difficult for him to leave. It was difficult enough as it was to know he would visit for a few moments every so often but it also sent a warm sensation through her to know he cared enough about her to visit her, to seek her out.

"I love you, son."

Loki took a step back and as he gently held Frigga's chin a small smile formed on his face. The wind picked up its pace and hit both of them but as it hit Loki he slowly disintegrated into soft, silky sand and vanished with the wind but not before saying, "I love you too, Mother."

Frigga had held out her hand as Loki vanished and there it remained even after he had left. After her arm bothered her from holding it out she placed both fisted hands against her shoulders while crossing them over each other as small tears trailed down her cheeks. She was eternally grateful that her son had at least taken time to see his mother and to let her know he was safe. She did not know the mortals who had allied themselves with her sons but Frigga knew Thor would look after Loki and if his eyes had been sincere, which she felt deep in her core that he had spoken the truth, his internal change meant he would look after Thor as well. Frigga would retrieve to her bed chambers in peace, knowing her youngest son was safe and happy and in turn she felt happiness creep in as she realized that perhaps that realm and the people who allied themselves with Thor and Thor himself were the key to Loki finally having peace.

Back in Midgard Loki opened his eyes once more and felt tears rolling down his cheeks. He sniffled as he brought up a hand to his left cheek and when he retrieved it he found his fingers moist. The subtle light from the windows behind him flashed in the tears. He gave a sort of frown as he had been set on not crying any longer but his expression softened as he realized that in the time he had been in Midgard he had spilled tears he had denied an escape to. Sure, he had wept when Odin had confessed his true heritage to him, before fighting Thor as he had set the Bifrost to destroy Jotunheim, when his father had denied any sort of acknowledgement towards him as he hung from the Bifrost though it could not have been said he had hung on to dear life after that fateful "No, Loki", then much later when he faced his brother yet again a over a year ago but those stray tears, Loki found, were just spilling over because they had reached the top and had overflowed.

The tears he spilled now were the ones he had backed up and if need be he would spend years letting them go. Crying was not a sign of weakness, it was as natural to any living being as it was to breathe and drink and eat. He had also been told by Jan that bottling up his feelings would do far more damage than good. Loki eventually came to accept this as a fact and while shedding so many tears so easily unnerved him he came to accept it as part of a healing process.

"Loki, can I come in?" The voice on the other side of the door had belonged to Jan. She always seemed to have a perfect timing to appear whenever Loki's thoughts traveled to troubling waters. As if fate sent her to bring some cheer and remind him that the ugliness of the past was behind him and a wonderfully bright future was ahead.

With a subtle twist of his wrist he unlocked the door and answered. "Enter."

Jan opened the door and as the light from the hallway peered in she saw the invading tears and as she closed the door she walked over to him, concern in her footsteps. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Jan. Just paid a visit to my mother in Asgard. Was difficult to say good bye."

"But your dad said that if you—"

Loki raised an open palmed hand and said as he smiled at Jan, "I did not set foot in Asgard myself. It had only been an astral projection."

Jan blinked a few times while staring at Loki and he suddenly remembered Jan was no sorceress and the term was alien to her. He chuckled as he wiped away the tears and stood up. Jan on the other hand smiled and said, "Okay, you are _going_ to have to explain that to me." Jan giggled as she slightly punched Loki on the shoulder in a playful manner and continued, "Is there anything you can't do?"

Naturally a negative thought was about to slip through his lips but that was something he was working hard to suppress, it was a trait he used in Asgard yet had no place in Midgard. He would make it a task to rid himself of many old and useless habits that would otherwise corner him and send his mind back to dark places where fire ruled and a cold grasp coiled itself around his heart.

He focused on the amused mortal before him and gave her a ridiculously wide smile; he also tasked himself with smiling more and frowning less, "There is _always_ room for improvement and learning, my love."

"Well, then tell me all about it. May not be able to learn it but I can know _of_ it."

This mortal's curiosity towards him made him blush embarrassingly and if he had not known better he would say her level of curiosity was as high as his. Not to mention all this curiosity towards him meant more attention to his person and he found that notion, that idea, ever so pleasant. So as both walked back to the living room where the rest of the group had already made away with one large box of pizza, thankfully Clint had ordered five large pizzas, he indulged her curiosity with intricate details on astral projection and how he came to learn it. It had not been easy but being stubborn was a trait that benefited him in his magical studies.

Jan listened carefully even if she could only imagine half of what Loki spoke of, part of her wished she could do most of the things he spoke of. Every time she shifted her face a little Loki picked it up as a sign that she did not understand well but did not want to bother him with repeating himself but Loki happily repeated with simpler terms and examples. Both of them locked themselves away into their own little world of teacher and student as they set aside pieces of pizza before Tony, Thor or Steve could do away with them before anyone else could eat.

"It was no easy task but admittedly after a few months I was able to conquer it." Loki said as he bit into a piece of pizza, that one piece particularly overflowing with pieces of meat.

"Okay, I gotta ask. What is the hardest thing you had to learn _and_ does it still give you trouble?"

Loki shifted his eyes sideways briefly and the answer came to him as he took another small bite from the pizza, "Shape-shifting into giant beasts. It took me a while to learn it but it was worth it. I cannot say it bothers me too much but it does take a toll within my core."

"How do you mean?"

"Well," Loki started and suddenly remembered Jan's confused gaze so he continued the explanation with a comparison she would understand, "It's sort of like your cell phone. When you use it to communicate either by word or written it does tap into its battery's life but by a mere fraction but when you use it to idly scroll through the internet it drastically drains your battery because it is using more of its power source. It is the same for me when I shape-shift into giant beasts."

"Isn't that dangerous?" T'Challa asked as he had overheard the duo but had been paying attention.

"It depends. My life force and my magical core are practically one and the same and while there are numerous advantages to it there are also disadvantages that could proof fatal. If I used up my entire magical core I would be as weak as a new born babe and the smallest of injuries could do away with me. I would have to make it a note to _not_ remain in a shape that drains too much of me for too long, is all."

Jan and T'Challa nodded as they understood what Loki had said and eventually they all fell silent as they continued to eat their dinner. Clint had walked back into the living room and found out one of the two pieces he had set aside were now gone and found Loki already biting into the second piece he had set aside. He rushed over to the Asgardian and while pointing at the piece he said in a whiny voice, "Loki, I set aside those two pieces for _me_!"

Loki looked down at the piece he had bitten into and idly apologized stating that he should have removed the pieces or at the very least left a sign stating those two pieces were not to be touched. Jan agreed with Loki as she continued to eat her pizza but Clint had had his heart set on those two pieces who were now mostly sitting at the bottom of the younger god's stomach.

Clint was a serious person when it came to his work and duty but it was not wise to say he did not have a childish streak about him especially after joining the Avengers and meeting people like Tony and Jan and even Bruce's alter ego who was prone to brutish and childish behavior, which Thor had the unfortunate privilege of being a witness to. That childish streak had been displayed before and it reared its troublesome presence once more.

Clint grabbed Loki by the wrist and lifted his arm up, the hand holding the stolen piece of pizza and licked it. After licking the piece of pizza he grabbed another from one of the boxes and said in a teasing manner, "Enjoy your pizza, stretch."

Jan groaned disgustingly while Loki dropped the piece of pizza and wiped his hands on a small paper towel. He closed his eyes but maintained his composure as he grabbed another piece and drank from his cup. The rest of the table stared at him mostly confused that he had not said or done anything about Clint. Of course, it was safe to say that none of them knew for a fact, safe for Thor, that his expertise in spells and magic had reached a point where he merely had to will the magic to happen without so much as uttering a whisper.

Clint sat down to eat his pizza but after the third bite he felt a tingling sensation in the back of his throat. As he continued to chew the tingling turned into a burn that made Clint sweat and gasp for air. Clint set the piece down and reached for his cup of soda but as he tilted the cup the contents froze. He began to panic as he reached for Tony's cup and it also froze when he touched the cup. The burning was now causing his eyes to water and his face turn red. The rest of the team seemed uneasy but then turned to Loki who said as he displayed a devilish smile, "You Midgardians have interesting plants and herbs. Particularly the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, supposedly this realm's hottest chili pepper. By your reaction it would be correct to assume so, right Barton?"

"Oh…you…son of a…someone do something!" Clint gasped as he ran through the kitchen trying to find any liquid that would not freeze on contact.

Loki laughed and subtly waved his fingers as he said, "I would advise you to consume some milk as it will stop the burning sensation."

Jan began to laugh as she heard Clint chugging down something and then exhaling in relief. Loki placed both elbows on the table and intertwined his fingers and placed his chin upon his hands as he took in Clint's pained groans and the laughter emitting from the rest of the table. How fond memories of tricks and pranks flowed back into him. Jan had stretched out a hand with her palm up and Loki, who finally understood the gesture, planted his palm on hers while still staring into the kitchen eagerly awaiting Clint's arrival. He was starting to feel like his old self again and it felt good.

It had been early in the morning, too early for some of them but they had been up nonetheless. According to Loki one of the crystals was located in Detroit so the night before Tony had placed a call which ended up being a serious amount of calls to gather some information. If Tony was right, usually he was or at least that is what he told himself and others, then the crystal had magical abilities and it would not have been long before someone would find that out and put its abilities to use.

As the group traveled to Detroit in the Quinjet he gave the group details on the various and exhausting phone calls from the night before and hoped he would not have to repeat himself.

"Okay, so last night I put in some calls to various sources to see if anyone would know anything about Detroit's current criminal affairs. Mostly it's all been quiet except that about a month ago this guy," Tony pointed to the air and immediately a picture of a bald, grotesquely obese man in a suit appeared thanks to Jarvis, "known as the Kingpin made a surprise appearance. Six months back he and Daredevil went at it again and big boy here was sent to jail, while in jail someone with a grudge and a pansy name like "Schemer" took over the empire that Burger King here spent building from the ground."

"It's not the first time he's lost it all but usually he retreats to Japan to start over and then runs back to New York where he mostly operates out of, sheesh everybody's in New York nowadays no wonder he was so low under the radar, good move, either way for some reason he wound up in Detroit. According to police reports and such ever since a month ago crime has been up, more drugs running in the streets, more corruption and dare I say it, more trouble. Now, SHIELD let us in on a tiny spot of information that could be huge for us."

"Long story short—"

"Too late!" Jan shouted from the back of the group.

"Ahem! Tonight, there is an auction being held by the Kingpin himself and guess what is up for grabs?"

Tony slid the screen sideways and a picture of one of the crystals encased in a glass box showed up. Loki gasped confirming it was one of the Hela crystals.

"How do we retrieve it?" Loki asked.

"We could infiltrate the auction and "buy" the crystal. No harm, no foul and best of all no one is put in danger by going head on into this situation." Natasha spoke up.

"I second the notion." Clint said as he raised his hand up high.

"I hate to rain on your parade, Nat." Hank said as he stood up and carefully looked through the Kingpin's SHIELD profile, "But a year and some odd time ago you, Clint, Tony, Bruce, Steve and Thor were all displayed on national TV as you fought the aliens in New York. Hell, you might as well waltz in with a sign that says, "Hi, we're the Avengers!" I don't see that happening."

"You just gave me a fantastic idea!" Tony exclaimed as he smirked and looked towards Loki intently.

"This plan is idiotic!" Loki groaned. Tony's grand idea was to do exactly what Natasha had said but with a twist thanks to Hank's input, who was also dragged in to Tony's idea and looked about as enthusiastic as Loki did at the moment. Both of them had been set up with black clothing, leather jackets and sunglasses despite it being almost 10:00 at night.

"No, it's not, you'll see, it'll work and we'll be out of there before you know it."

Both Loki and Hank rolled their eyes and sighed loudly, Tony's idea was to use Loki's magic to change Tony's appearance and both Loki and Hank would go in as Tony's bodyguards. Tony had flipped through the files of SHIELD and came across the Vulture randomly. The rest of the team would be perched on the roof keeping an eye out on them. It was, for the most part, safe but Loki did not feel it safe. He would have preferred someone else be down there instead of Tony knowing full well Tony would probably do something they might all regret.

"Why must we wear these when it is late at night, Stark?" Loki asked as he held the sunglasses loosely in his hands.

"It'll make you guys look more like thugs."

"Thugs? I don't even swear! We're going to get caught!" Hank protested.

"Guys, have a little more faith in me."

Hank and Loki looked at each other and Hank formed a giant smile and with a hop in his step said, "We're gonna get shot!"

"That's more like it!" Tony said as he sarcastically smiled and patted Hank in the back, "Now, do us all a favor and neither of you speak. You're both my mute, slightly dumb bodyguards and I'm just here to do some shopping. Now, Loki, let's make with the voodoo and do whatever it is that you do."

"Very well." Loki muttered under his breath and started the spell. Glamour spells were simple and one of the first things he had learned in his youth so all it took from his part was to wave his hand in front of Tony and soon before them stood an old man wearing a strange outfit. The outfit was in fact similar to a vulture in color and in the wings. The fact that the old man's nose could resemble a beak was silenced due to trying to portray a serious and as Tony had put it "thuggish" appearance.

The three of them walked out of the alley and towards the building next to them, an abandoned warehouse which was under the Kingpin's name and was often used to temporarily hold transactions of the illegal kind. At the door were two massive men who looked like they would have preferred to be elsewhere. One of the men held a crumbled list of names in his hands and as soon as he saw the old man approaching he lifted the list to his face while the other man held out an arm to stop the trio.

"Name?"

"Toomes." Tony said, apparently the spell also changed his voice, which was great since Tony had no idea what the man sounded like.

"The Vulture, eh? I don't remember you accepting the invitation." Said the first man as he flipped page after page and in that one second a bead of sweat began to form on Tony's brow or at least it felt like so.

Luckily Loki slightly lifted his index finger and as soon as the man reached the last page the Vulture's name was seen at the bottom of the list. The man nodded to the other man who lowered his arm and stepped to the side welcoming them in. As Tony, Loki and Hank stepped through the two men warned them about not causing any trouble lest they be dealt with harshly.

Once inside they stood in the middle of a well cooled and spacious warehouse. There were about thirty people standing in front of a tall and wide stage where an old man stood in the middle of it and right next to him was a podium with the crystal atop a small silk pillow and a glass case around it. To the right of the old man stood Kingpin and a strange and disfigured man wearing a suit stood next to Kingpin. The man's face looked like it had been cut off and then someone tried to place it back together but was obviously unsuccessful. Tony also noticed the heavy security in the warehouse and some very well armed thugs surrounding the Kingpin.

After five minutes two more people had walked inside and had taken a spot amongst the crowd and after the second person had walked in the two guards by the door had shut and locked the front door and one of them nodded to the front. Several of Kingpin's men handed out numbered slips of papers big enough to be seen by the auctioneer. As soon as the men returned to take their place beside the Kingpin the old man at the front began to speak quickly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. We are here for the bidding of this exquisite crystal of unknown origins. It is three inches long in length, harder than a diamond and its very fibers are unknown to man. Found within the deepest jungles of Wakanda and brought all the way here. Once the sale is concluded a full report of its findings will be offered to the owner of this rare beauty."

The crowd broke out in excited murmurs but the old man raised both hands to signal the crowd to quiet down so he could continue, "Ladies and gentlemen, the bidding will start at $12,000! Do I have $12,000?" The old man asked rapidly as he swung a hand over the crowd and eagerly shouted, "I have $12,000 for number 33 in the middle!"


	14. You'll Get A Bullet In The Back Of The N

**Chapter 14:**  
**You'll Get A Bullet In The Back Of The Neck**

The auction went on and the competition for the crystal was fierce. As the price was hiked up there were less and less people participating but to Kingpin's gleeful surprise there were two participants who eagerly tried to win. It was no surprise to him that Toomes fought so eagerly to lay claim to the crystal, the man was a notorious collector and whatever he fancied he got. The other man was just known as The Profile, odd and quiet man.

Both men continued to battle for the crystal and Tony was getting agitated. He looked up at Loki and as soon as their eyes locked Tony then slightly nodded in the other man's direction giving Loki an understanding of what Tony was thinking.

Loki turned his gaze to the front and remained still as to not arouse suspicion. He kept staring but behind those still green eyes he effortlessly worked a silent spell. Tony's competition raised his hand once more and Tony groaned inwardly, had this not been necessary he would have walked away. There was a reason he hated auctions and the thought of someone else walking away with something he wanted was unacceptable.

The old man shouted the new price and as soon as Tony raised his arm again the other man did as well. Tony then growled as he raised his hand up and the old man announced a new price but this time the competitor's arm froze. The man himself froze completely and the old man shouted his final warnings and soon declared Tony, or better said, Toomes the winner. As soon as the room erupted in excited murmurs The Profile began to move again, blinking in disbelief that he would have reacted so slowly. In his anger he crumbled the numbered paper in his hands and tossed it to the floor as he walked to the exit.

Kingpin ordered his men to escort the Vulture to his office in the back as the rest of the men cleared the warehouse. Kingpin wore a huge smile on his face as he walked into his office, the price of the sold crystal wildly dancing in his head in utter joy. Loki and Hank silently followed but as they walked into the office they were furiously studied by Kingpin's own men.

The office was small and uncharacteristically simple as opposed to Kingpin's office in New York but then again he was not living in high luxury as he once was and this was only a warehouse. Kingpin sat behind a huge desk while three men, one of them being the disfigured man, stood idly behind him and a fourth one brought a laptop to him and showed him some contents. Kingpin's face gave away no indication but Loki noticed the difference in the man's rise and fall of his chest. He immediately scanned the room with his eyes and sized up Kingpin's men and their obviously present and accounted for guns. Loki remained calm and collected as he recalled where every single one of his blades were hidden and was already playing out at least four scenarios in his head.

"_This was a very stupid idea."_ Loki thought.

"So, Mr. Toomes," Kingpin started as he signaled for Tony to have a seat in the chair in front of Kingpin's desk. "I don't think I've ever heard of you walking around with rent-a-goon types before." Kingpin said as he pointed to Loki and Hank.

"Been having troubles lately." Tony answered.

"Troubles? What kind of troubles?"

"The kind that makes you hire goons to watch your back. Punisher troubles."

"Ah, him. Well," Kingpin continued as he sighed while placing one of his massive hands on the laptop and slowly turned so Tony could see the screen while he spoke. "It now seems you have Kingpin troubles."

The screen displayed the Vulture's SHIELD profile but what got Tony, Loki and Hank's attention was the area on the screen Kingpin was pointing to. Tony's eyes went wide as he read the bold red letters that so casually spelled "incarcerated".

For a split second everyone in the room went still as every person within took in this new information and as the gears in their brains turned with a reaction Loki, Tony, Kingpin and Jigsaw were the first ones to react.

Kingpin backed himself away from the desk with his arms and quickly turned to run away, two of his men followed him. Jigsaw withdrew a Beretta M9 and pointed it at Tony's head. Tony quickly stood up as he watched Jigsaw pointing a gun to his head. Loki had grabbed one of his smaller blades and tossed it towards Jigsaw. When the blade struck Jigsaw in the hand he dropped the gun and groaned loudly as he backed away.

Hank grabbed Tony and both ran towards the closest window as the rest of Kingpin's men opened fire on them. Hank and Tony jumped out of the window and landed roughly on the pavement and as they turned around a feverishly bright green light erupted from within the office.

As the energy surged the force of it broke the remaining windows and as the shattered glass flew out Tony and Hank covered themselves with their arms but a few seconds later ran towards the window they had just jumped out of.

"Loki!" Hank shouted.

As they peered into the office they saw Loki standing in the middle of the office surveying the area, searching for the disfigured man but he had been pushed out of one of the windows but as soon as he gained his composure back he ran into a white car where the Kingpin was to make his getaway. The rest of his men lay at Loki's feet unconscious.

"Are you guys all right?" Tony asked both Hank and Loki. Hank nodded breathlessly but Loki continued to scowl as he looked out of the window. He then raised his right arm and with an open palm muttered something under his breath and Tony's glamour vanished to reveal Tony in his iron suit. Hank and Loki's glamour vanished as well.

The sound of running feet and heavy breathing made itself present as the rest of the team joined them on the ground. Thor quickly stood beside his brother and surveyed him, making sure he had not been injured, when he saw his brother whole and hale he breathed easily and looked back to Tony.

"They got away with the goddamn crystal!" Tony shouted. It was safe to assume they had left with the crystal because no one was going to just leave it behind even if Tony had not seen them take it.

He powered his suit and flew up a few feet above the team but looked down when Natasha announced, "They got into a white Mercedes, headed east and fast!"

Before Tony had time to acknowledge the information a group of seven men, obviously working for Kingpin, made their presence known. They were huge, muscular as Thor, one of them even towering over the god of thunder. Some carried weapons, thick chains, long and slim steel pipes, and one of them wielded two fourteen inch blades and one held two Skorpion VZ 61s.

"Fantastic, now look at these clowns!" Clint shouted in annoyance.

Steve weighed his options carefully. The main priority was to retrieve the crystal and as he stood there the further away Kingpin got. In a sudden call lead by the fact that they had a limited time to retrieve all the crystals Steve gave his orders, "Iron Man, you, Hulk, Thor, Wasp and Ant-Man go after the Kingpin! The rest of us will deal with these scumbags!" After he gave the order he was more certain than ever that it was the right call. If Kingpin succeeded in going into hiding they would have to hunt him down and it would surely take time and time was something they could not afford to lose.

Iron Man flew into the sky, Banner swiftly or at least as much as he could, transformed into the Hulk, Wasp shrunk in size and took to the sky as well, Thor followed close behind, Ant-Man activated the mechanism and grew to a towering size and followed the rest of the group.

Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Black Panther and Loki, who remained behind the group carefully assessing the targets and the environment, stared down at the assailants. The assailants scowled back and measured them all while confidence surged through them as they outnumbered the remaining Avengers and guest.

The men gave out loud grunts and roars and raced towards their targets. They were well aware of how resourceful the Avengers were so all seven went head on as to leave no room for mistakes.

Captain America drew his shield and ran towards the oncoming goons firmly holding his shield to tackle the first man he could rush into. Hawkeye had spotted a fire escape ladder behind him. He quickly ran to the stairs and reached for his arrows while locking onto the targets. Black Widow had removed two of her handguns and as she ran towards her aggressor she aimed and fired ahead. She had not been accurate, this was not her plan, her plan was to distract the man with the two sub-machine guns long enough to subdue him. Black Panther ran at the man with the chain and with a precision most men lacked he had reached for his vibranium knives, one in each hand, and aimed for the chain. Loki remained still, he was never one to run towards his targets, he made his targets run to _him_, had _them_ give up any comforts to seek _him_ out.

The towering man with the fourteen inch knives ran towards Loki at full speed. Loki remained silent, still and vigilant. The man's thundering footsteps gave Loki a sense of the man's weight. As the assailant approached he let out a roar as he lifted both knife wielding hands, the blades outward towards his target. As he approached Loki never even blinked.

About a few inches away from his target the attacker threw most of his power into his upper body to stab the Asgardian. As his upper body lunged forward and his blades sliced through the air he found he had cut through smoke. The foe's body had not been erected to its normal standing pose when a considerable amount of weight had pushed his upper body a few inches down. The man's target now stood on his shoulder blades, blades of his own in his hands. Blades that slashed the assailant's back and quickly followed by a swift kick to the back of his head which sent him sliding across the pavement and his target, now assailant, stood tall as he blocked the man holding the long pipe that had run towards Loki.

The man holding the chain grabbed each end of the chain and held it up over his body to stop Black Panther's attack. Black Panther's knives easily cut the chain and in that brisk moment of trying to compose himself from the shock of seeing the thick chain sliced so easily the assailant had received a kick to his solar plexus from the Black Panther. Black Panther's attack continued as he grabbed the man's shirt with both hands before he could fall back further. Using the momentum of the drive of pulling his target towards him Black Panther lowered his head to expose the top of his skull and drove it into the man's face breaking the his nose. The impact had caused a fuzzing pain in Black Panther's head but he quickly brushed it off as he ran towards another assailant.

As Black Widow approached her now distracted target the man lowered his left arm and with his right arm threw a haymaker. Black Widow stopped in her tracks and moved her upper body backwards in time to see the man's weapon wielding fist fly in front of her face and miss her. She took the opportunity to launch her right hand at the man and landed a solid hit to the right side of her attacker's face which caused him to hit the ground hard.

Hawkeye had taken a spot on the fire escape ladder of the warehouse and had stopped to aim an arrow at one of the goons. What he had failed to noticed when he was climbing the ladder was that one of the men had taken off behind him and while Hawkeye was aiming his arrow the assailant threw a swift punch to the back of Hawkeye's neck causing the archer to momentarily sway. The assailant then grabbed Hawkeye, lifted him and tossed him down to the ground where his body made a solid thud.

Black Widow had seen what had happened but she had been busy intercepting an adversary of her own. When she saw Hawkeye's body hit the floor her eyes went wide with worry as she called out to him, "Hawkeye!"

Her natural reaction was to aid her partner but when she removed her eyes from her attacker he took the opportunity to deliver a swift kick to her midsection. As the shin made contact with Black Widow's midsection she was blown back and hit the pavement hard.

Three of the assailants made their way towards Hawkeye as he feebly moved his head side to side. Captain America grabbed his shield and ran behind the man wielding a pipe that stood over Hawkeye and raised the pipe with both hands over his head. Captain America ran as fast as he could and tossed his shield at the enemy's back. When the shield hit the man he flew forward and hit the second man that was in front of him and both hit the ground hard.

The third assailant making his way towards Hawkeye picked up the pace but before he could land a blow Captain America's shield had diverted its course. As it was returning to the captain it had begun to glow green and spun faster as it turned towards the charging goon and hit him in his midsection. The blow sent the man flying across the area and hit a parked car in the distance rendering him unconscious.

Loki went towards Hawkeye as he waved a hand which caused the shield to magically reappear in Captain America's grip. Once he reached Hawkeye Loki grabbed the archer by the suit and as he stood up his bow and a handful of arrows appeared in a cloud of dark green smoke. As Hawkeye gripped his weapons firmly Loki shoved him in the direction of the fallen and assaulted Black Widow while yelling, "Help Natasha!"

Now committing Black Widow's mistake of turning his back on his assailant Loki felt the sting of the steel pipe strike him on his back and while it only served to distract him momentarily it was enough to have let his guard down. Loki fell forward but before hitting the ground the towering assailant grabbed Loki by the collar of his tunic and with all of his might tossed him back. Loki flew across the area and landed with a solid thud against the wall of one of the buildings. The stinging sensation invaded the back of his head, his back and shoulders. As he groaned loudly he fell back to the ground landing on his hands and knees.

Loki coughed but before he could react the man with the submachine gun grabbed Loki by the throat and lifted him as much as he could. The bandit aimed one of his remaining weapons at Loki's head but before he had time to pull the trigger Loki had snaked one of his hands and placed an open palm directly over the aggressor's chest. As green energy surged and wailed under Loki's very flesh a flash of bright green light erupted from Loki's palm and a beam of magical energy sent the man flying. The assailant yelled out as he hit the pavement hard but soon succumbed to the mercy of unconsciousness.

Black Widow, now assisted by Hawkeye, had overpowered her second attacker. She grabbed the man's wrist, twisted it so his arm was now behind him which in turn gave Black Widow enough time to slam an elbow to the back of his head rendering him unconscious.

Black Panther and Captain America were back to back as they fought off two assailants. Black Widow and Hawkeye fought the remaining two. Loki was growing weary of the distraction. The seven goons were nothing more than an attempt to kill them but from what they had displayed it was more of a minor distraction at best. There was also the worry of Kingpin getting away with the crystal even if the rest of the team had gone after Kingpin he was not sure whether they had found it or not.

As one assailant lifted a wooden bat he felt the material soften and as he brought both hands down he looked on curiously to see that instead of a bat he now held a python. The creature hissed and in a swift motion clamped its jaws around the his throat bringing the massive man down to his knees. Hawkeye aimed his weapon at one of the assailants and fired three arrows. While in midair the arrows began to glow in a faint green light and multiplied into twenty-four arrows that exploded when they came into contact with the target. The target fell to the ground and did not move from that point on. The remaining attacker had seen the rest of his partners rendered helpless and unconscious and rather than put up a fight he looked on to the group and with a loud gasp he ran away.

Before any of them could celebrate or boast about their win a screeching voice from all of the communicators yelled out, "Guys, we need help! They've got us cornered! They have rocket laun—" Knowing full well they would not reach them in time to prevent a disaster Loki waved his hand and the group disappeared in a cloud of green smoke.

When Hawkeye opened his eyes again they appeared in the middle of a street still within the vicinity of the industrial park. The street had dozens of skid marks, dozens of empty bullet casings and debris everywhere. As he looked on he saw Iron Man fighting off several men who had taken rocket launchers and had aimed most of them at the Hulk who tried his best to swat them away but the fire and smoke was preventing the Hulk from accurately disabling his assailants.

As he set his eyes on the Hulk Loki took a step back. While he would never openly admit it to anyone of them he was still apprehensive of the massive brute and it would certainly take a while for him to come to terms with the Hulk. Loki looked on and searched for his brother and quickly found the elder god effectively fighting off a herd of men as if he were merely shooing away ants. Loki found himself smirking at the sight before him. As he looked on he frowned when he saw Ant-Man shrunk back down to his normal size and being attacked by several armed men. As he set a foot forward to assist Captain America, Black Panther and Black Widow ran to his rescue.

Loki was going to rush over to Ant-Man but something did not seem right. He looked around and counted the group once more. Hulk, Hawkeye and Iron Man were found. He had just seen Thor. Captain America, Black Panther, Black Widow and Ant-Man were accounted for. Someone was missing and as soon as he realized who was missing Loki's eyes widened as he stood still while a cold shiver crept down his spine.

In the excitement of trying to overpower their attackers none of them had noticed when the white car that Kingpin had hidden away in and another car right behind it sped away. Loki followed the cars with his eyes and as soon as they picked up the pace they both ran right past a lone and still figure in the middle of the road. Loki laid his eyes on the figure and raced towards it as soon as he saw who it was.

Loki knelt beside Jan and the first thing he noticed was that she was still alive, although unconscious. He looked over her once and found a rather pronounced bump on the side of her head. His first instinct was to conjure up healing magic to deal with the bump on her head but as he placed both hands over her head a loud screeching sound interrupted him.

A third car sped towards both of them and while Loki could jump out of the way in time Jan could not. Loki narrowed his eyes, slightly lifted the corner of his mouth and slowly stood up. His feral eyes set off a subtle but noticeable glow, energy surged through and over his arms as electric green lightning was emitting from his body. The energy angrily danced over his arms as he slowly walked down the road and towards the rampaging car.

As the car sped forward the driver hit the pedal and picked up speed as the passenger stuck half of his body out and aimed an AK-47 right at Loki. Captain America had noticed the speeding car and where it was running to. At the sudden realization that Loki idly stood before the car and Jan he called out to the Asgardian, "No! Loki, get out of the way!"

Everything and everyone seemed to have gone quiet for that moment when Loki began to slowly walk towards the approaching car. As he slowly walked he kept his eyes on the approaching menace and drew up to his shoulders both arms, crossing them with his palms outward and his fingers bent as if resembling claws. As the car approached and was but a few meters from hitting Loki he lowered his arms and the vehicle ripped in half by an explosive surge of magical energy.

As the energy made its way towards the back of the car the car split in half and as Loki's arms were now spread apart from him both halves of the car slammed violently into the adjacent buildings. The driver had tumbled about but was otherwise unharmed, however, the passenger who had stuck most of his body out of the window had been pinned between the car and the building causing his body to literally split in half on the inside killing the assailant.

The Avengers and their attackers had stopped to gaze at the sight before them. Shock and terror washed over their faces as Loki slowly turned his seething gaze upon the remaining them. One of the men gasped loudly and broke from Iron Man's grasp and ran as fast as he could. As the energy kept crackling and dancing over, inside and under Loki's arms he narrowed his eyes further as both ends of his mouth lifted baring his teeth like a rabid animal.

Thor was the only Avenger who just stood still and smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest. He inhaled deeply and also narrowed his eyes as he looked at his younger brother. Wildness crept in Thor's eyes, a wildness that once Iron Man saw he felt a cold chill wrap itself around his spine. The smile on Thor's face was practically identical to Loki's. Still, it was unsettling to see that look on Thor's face and while Iron Man chucked it up to Thor's barbarian warrior side he still could not help but feel uneasy.

What Iron Man did not comprehend was that Thor was looking at his brother with pride. It was a rare sight to see Loki actually invest himself into a fight as he had just done. It was an even rarer sight to see Loki place himself in harm's way to protect someone that was not Thor as he did well over a month ago and so many centuries before that.

Loki locked on to the assailants and looked over the Avengers and saw some of them bruised and hurt and it fueled his rage further. He turned his body towards the assailants and closed his eyes. The remaining attackers in the area began to glow green and were now hovering about a yard over the ground. As they screamed and pleaded for mercy their screams slowly faded as their bodies turned to stone.

As the stone bodies hovered and Loki kept his eyes shut Ant-Man rushed over to Jan to see if she was all right. Loki then opened his eyes and the stone bodies fell and shattered as they hit the ground turning the once living bodies into fine dust. As Loki looked around him he then turned his attention to the man who had been driving the car.

In a moment of panic the assailant reached to his side and pulled out a Magnum and aimed it at Loki. While the Avengers called out to Loki to be careful the Asgardian sorcerer kept walking towards the assailant who aimed his shaking weapon at Loki. Before he could pull the trigger the gun had turned into water and splashed over the wreck that was once a car.

As the man began to panic Loki grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him out of the wreck and held him up high above his head. As Loki glared at the man he let go of him but instead of hitting the ground the asphalt below the man had been altered and thin and crooked hands emerged from it and grasped themselves tightly around the man's throat.

"Where is he?" The voice emitting from Loki was almost that of a snarl, which suited his current appearance of a wild and rabid animal. The man hesitated and said he did not know where the Kingpin was. This made Loki tighten the asphalt hands around his neck harder until the assailant's face went red and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"Sport!" Iron Man called out and as if by some unknown force Loki's feral and hostile features slowly vanished. Loki blinked his eyes a few times and turned to look at Iron Man. Loki furrowed his brow and let out a sigh as the green energy faded away. As the magic disappeared the asphalt hands did as well and when the man dropped to the ground he quickly got back up and ran away.

Loki looked on as the assailant ran away and as he vanished into the night he quickly turned back to Jan to see to her injuries. Ant-Man had been examining her but as soon as Loki knelt beside her he retracted a little to let Loki do his work. Loki placed both hands over her head and a soft pastel green glow covered Jan's entire body. After a couple of seconds Jan's eyes opened wide. She fluttered her eyelids as she looked at her teammates who had surrounded her.

"Did anyone get the number of that truck?" Jan asked in a joking manner as she slowly sat up. As soon as she was sitting up Loki grasped her in a hug which surprised her and the rest of the group.

Jan returned the hug and Ant-Man placed a hand on Loki's shoulder and said, "Thanks, Loki." Loki in turn grabbed Ant-Man's arm and the same healing glow enveloped itself around Ant-Man and his injuries vanished.

A subtle sigh escaped from Loki and Jan tightened her hug reassuring him that she was all right. As he kept hugging her he muttered under his breath, "I promise…no harm will come to you." That caused Jan's eyes to go wide in surprise and a warm smile formed on her face. The same pastel green glow enveloped itself over the rest of the Avengers and they all sighed with relief as the injuries vanished and a calm and cool sensation washed over their bodies.

"Well, no sense in standing around. Fury's in the area. We should get him to help us track Kingpin down." Black Widow suggested as she looked at the group and the group nodded in agreement. The Kingpin could consider himself the victor for the time being but it was not to last.


	15. And I Only Breathe Because I Have To

**Chapter 15:**  
**And I Only Breathe Because I Have To**

They had returned to the helicarrier that floated above the city of Detroit hoping to use satellites to track down the Kingpin's escape car. Tony had logged into his system the warehouse's coordinates and with them they would be able to lock into a satellite and get video feedback.

On the ride back Loki had been quiet, lost in a pensive state as he looked over the Avengers. A thought occurred to him and while he was determined to carry it out he knew he would have to wait to find out where the Kingpin had been hiding. It was at that moment he cursed under his breath. Tony had told them all to leave the one crystal they had in their position in the mansion, which, could have been used to track down the second one. It would have been easier since that crystal was closer than before and he doubted the Kingpin would have escaped the city. If anything he was sure the man was hiding somewhere close, seeking shelter in the city he so foolishly thought he had under his thumb.

Loki had been overwhelmed when each Avenger had vowed to help him see this task through to the end but their brush against the Kingpin's men had driven him to think that perhaps he should have not involved them. It would be twice as hard but at least he would rest easily knowing none of them would be injured because of a problem that they were forced to handle because of his schemes. Respectively it would also be impossible to talk them out of helping him, Thor would surely insist and follow and he was certain Jan would follow as well and in doing so the rest would ignore his request of doing this alone.

Once at the helicarrier Loki let everyone else leave the jet first and watched their movements. He made sure none of them limped or had any visible bruises. As he watched them he remembered what he had muttered when he had hugged Jan and while he felt no shame in what he had said he felt raw and exposed.

As Loki walked he lowered his gaze as he crossed his arms. Lost in his thoughts, thinking of the injuries they had been exposed to and the terror of any of them getting killed needlessly because of a mess he created, a problem he had set forth and was now burdening his brother and his friends with. He seemed to be good at that. Causing trouble and then having others clean up his messes for him but he was determined to clean up this mess no matter what and if he had no other choice but to turn himself in to Karnilla he would do so. A set of fingers crawled under his hair and gently scratched his scalp. He loved that sensation and knew of only one person who knew exactly what spots made him shake his leg like a puppy so it was no surprise to him when he lifted his gaze, turned to his side and saw Thor happily walking beside him as he scratched him.

Thor had that warm smile that made him all the more lovable displayed for the world to see but mostly for him and it made Loki smile as well. Bright blue eyes so proudly and lovingly scanning every part of him and while it made him feel a little flushed he enjoyed it. It was as if Thor was twelve years old and Loki was eight once more and his older brother looked after him and paid attention to him.

Loki was not ever going to admit it out loud but he relished that sort of attention. It was far deeper than making his enemies or those he considered less than himself kneel before him and tremble in fear. Sure, it gave him a sense of rush and importance but at the realization that what he was feeling at the moment surpassed even that, well, he did not have a problem with it at all.

The group walked towards the inside of the helicarrier and Loki and the rest of them, safe for Natasha and Clint, wondered if this was the same helicarrier that was almost destroyed or if SHIELD had an arsenal of them at their disposal. Neither would surprise them but they still wondered.

Loki sighed as he walked among the Avengers and felt the cold stare of SHIELD operatives staring, not in surprise or dismissively but scowling at him. He felt every narrow eye piercing through him like needles. At any other moment he would have felt the need to hide inside himself and shut his mind to the current situation but he kept his mind at ease as he felt Thor wrap one of his massive arms around his shoulders and draw him closer to himself. It was also reassuring how the rest of the group seemed to have slowed their pace down and formed a circle around him, some making contact with him, if only slightly. Both corners of Loki's mouth lifted slightly as he analyzed their actions and drew his attention to the warmth in the pit of his stomach. It was a great sensation and he reveled in the fact that the cold in his stomach which had made itself a home in him for thousands of years had vanished.

Eventually they made their way to the command center where Fury and Hill stood in the middle going over some documents. Fury handed the documents to Hill and the woman dismissed herself. As she walked away, obviously with orders from the director, she turned her eyes to Loki and he turned his towards her. More cold and distant eyes, it felt worse than being scowled or disciplined. As his focus on the agent blurred out he heard the director's loud and strong voice but he kept staring in the direction of the door Hill had left through. His mind was blank but his eyes held within him every emotion his face and body did not display.

Once again fingers crawled under his hair and finger nails gently scratched behind his ear. A smaller hand had placed itself on his upper right arm and as he looked he saw Jan's hand. She was looking at the director and paying attention though his conversation was more between him and Tony but the group paid close attention. Bruce had idly taken three steps back and was now about two to three inches in front of Loki. Had they noticed his distemper? How?

Loki then looked down at his booted feet and noticed his hands fidgeting at his sides. He did that. That and several other things like pacing when he was nervous or uncomfortable but the fidgeting was the most obvious, they had seen it when they interacted with him over a year ago. But was it so obvious that Jan and Bruce noticed even while barely paying attention to him? He could understand Thor knowing by instinct. He was very well aware of Thor knowing every little mania he had as he knew all of Thor's but these mortals behaved as Thor did.

Fury and Tony's conversation turned technical and as much as Loki had learned in a few short weeks he was still not up to par with the knowledge Tony or Bruce or Hank possessed. If his mind were at ease he would have been paying very close attention to every word that had been exchanged between the two men but at the moment it just so happened that his mind was uneasy and not focusing on anything in particular.

Tony lowered his tone and slightly turned his head towards the group but to Loki it seemed like Tony was looking straight at him. How he wished he could read lips. Fury then followed suit and stared directly at the group as well. There was no emotion or reaction from the director but it still made Loki feel uncomfortable, judged and dissected.

"Loki," Loki's mind focused once more as a soft toned voice called out his name. He focused on Natasha as she dug deep into his eyes searching for something. Comfort? A form of reassurance? Perhaps it was both. "Come on. These two are gonna be a while. They're tracking the car."

Natasha walked slowly towards the same direction of the door Hill had walked through and Loki's stomach tightened as the tense knots squeezed themselves. Natasha punched in a set of numbers on the keypad next to the door and as a hissing sound was emitted from the door it slid open and the tension in Loki's stomach made its way to his shoulders but he continued to follow Natasha while Clint and Jan followed him.

There was a long hallway but instead of walking on Natasha quickly made a right turn and punched in more numbers on a different keypad attached to a different door. As it opened Loki laid his eyes on a small room fitted with two sofas, a small coffee table and some papers idly placed upon the table. The room was small and it had the feeling of a waiting room with the exception of magazines, pictures on the wall and some plants for decoration. In front of one of the sofas was a wall sized window that overlooked the center that they had just been in. Loki could see several agents walking through, some with documents while others chatted with each other. He could also see his brother speaking with Bruce and the rest of the team. Further ahead he saw Tony and Fury working with some computer screens most likely tracking down the Kingpin.

"Feel better?" Natasha asked as she sat down on one of the sofas, Clint sat beside her and Jan took a spot on the other sofa as both could only seat two people at a time. Loki nodded; it was an empty nod as he looked around the room and took in every detail. It was a small room and while he had no preference to either small or spacious rooms he felt a bit calmer and the tension in his stomach slowly diminished.

"C'mon, sport, have a seat." Jan said as she smiled.

Loki drew in a deep breath and let every ounce of tension out of his body as he exhaled. He quietly made his way across the room and sat down next to Jan. She had not addressed him as "sport" before but it was just as calming as when Tony, Bruce, Hank or Steve did it. It felt like a cool balm on burnt flesh.

"You looked a little tense back there. Thought maybe prying you away from the rest of the crowd would calm you down." Natasha confessed as she looked at him.

Loki remained quiet, taken aback that they had noticed his tension when he himself had not really acknowledged it. He was aware that the prying eyes, as Natasha said, of the rest of the occupants of the helicarrier had made him uncomfortable but he had failed to notice just how uncomfortable he had been.

"Hey, don't worry so much. Sure, they're kind of giving you the evil eye and it might take some time for a lot of people to come to terms with you being here with us but they'll come around. You'll see." Clint surmised while Natasha and Jan nodded.

"I know." Loki finally answered.

"Well, I've got a feeling there's a lunch room around here or a kitchen or something with food or snacks in it. I'm gonna search for it. I'll be back in a few minutes." Jan cheerily said as she stood up and headed out of the room. Clint volunteered to go with her since he knew she would get lost and he was particular when it came to his snacks.

Natasha looked over at Loki as Clint left, he seemed out of his element and concerned but most of all he seemed uncomfortable though she was not going to blame him. She had noticed the looks the other people gave him and she was certain those same piercing looks had been haunting him his entire life by the way he tried to conceal himself from them and the fidgeting.

"So let me get this straight, you thought it was a good idea to just pick someone from our database and go in without really reading through the database?" Fury asked as he looked to Tony.

"Uh—well, sort of." Tony answered.

"That was stupid!"

"We said the same thing." Hank just had to take that opportunity to both burn Tony for his mistake and to get a laugh. The rest of the team laughed as well however the director remained stoic and expressionless to the ordeal.

"With the exception of Thor, because we already know _his_ answer, what happens after you get the crystals returned to their rightful owner?"

"Well, we carry on as usual." Bruce answered before Tony could.

"Let me rephrase that question. What will happen with little brother? There is no way in hell he'll be able to run around in the general populace without someone trying to either kill him or assault him for what he did back in New York."

"So far he's been more than okay staying within the mansion and let's be honest he knows what you're implying very well. Only times he left the mansion were with us in a group. He'll be fine." Tony claimed, he sounded sincere and sure of what he was answering but a part of him seemed to question it. Or better said, questioned Loki's safety as he remembered dragging his limp body out of the cell after being tortured.

"There are forgiving people out there. Hell, we forgave him, even Clint did. We just need to remain positive." Steve, ever so cheerful and full of pep Steve, answered. His wide smile made the rest of the team feel at ease and confident with their decisions.

"Well, as long as you know what you're doing." Fury said as he pointed to the small room that Jan, Natasha and Clint had taken Loki to so he could feel more at ease. Apparently Loki had turned Clint into a small dog and Clint was now gnawing at his sleeves, Jan was laughing and Natasha was trying to restrain both Loki and Clint while she laughed.

Tony gathered Loki had done so because Clint teased him. Ever since Clint had let his frustrations out he took to either joining him and Jan in pranks or teasing Loki, all in good fun and Loki never seemed aggravated by it for he knew Clint meant no offense in it.

The group looked on and watched as Clint managed to pull Loki right off the sofa and was now pulling on his hair while Loki tried to push him away. All the while Jan and Natasha had given up trying to pull them apart and just watched them as they laughed. Clint was then shoved aside but rather than giving up he licked the side of Loki's face while Loki screamed loudly and Jan and Natasha laughed even more. Steve chuckled as he crossed his arms and looked on while Tony placed a hand on the director's shoulder and said in a teasing tone, "Oh, don't worry, dear. We know what we're doing."

Tracking the car was a tad more difficult to do, which surprised Tony seeing as how SHIELD had an unlimited amount of resources. Still, he knew Kingpin was not going to leave the state much less the city but he was feeling restless. He wanted the crystals all found so they could go back to their "normal" lives with their newest addition, or as Fury teased, their new pet. As Tony watched the screen the rest of the group had gone into the small room where Jan, Natasha, Clint, who had been turned back into a human and Loki were waiting for news of the car.

Tony had turned around to see Thor and Steve slowly walking towards the room but before the thunderer could get far Tony walked up to him and stopped him. There was a nagging question in the back of his head and he needed to clear his mind of said question.

"Thor, I have to know. Back in New York, over a year ago, sure the aliens put up a pretty good fight but despite everything I sort of feel like your brother wasn't—was he giving 100% back then? Because what we saw tonight was…unnerving."

"You are referring to his power, are you not?" Thor asked and Tony could not help but notice a bit of a smirk on the elder god.

"Yes, I am." As Tony answered Steve looked on also wanting to hear what Thor would have to say.

"No. His heart was not in the battle. In fact, only two people have been privy to watching my brother unleash his full power, his full potential of his magical abilities. I who stand before you and one whose very body and soul no longer exist in any plane, realm or location. Everything you have bared witness to has not been the peak of what Loki can do once he has completely unleashed himself. Admittedly, tonight's display was more than what he gave back in New York."

With that Thor gave Tony and Steve a devilish smile and walked on to join Loki and the rest of the team. Tony and Steve were left behind with mouths agape and eyes wide.

"Well," Tony started, "luckily he's with us now."

"Yeah." Steve said as he watched Loki in the room. A year ago he did fear him although he tried his hardest not to show any signs of it but before tonight his fear of him had gone along with resentment. If there was one thing that distinguished Steve from the rest of the group was that he did not grow to hate Loki. He merely resented the acts of which the younger god had been a guilty party to. Tonight as he watched his now ally he felt a bit of that fear growing back.

Steve tried to push it back shamefully admitting that the reason for the fear to sprout once more was due to the fact that if a year ago this god was not giving his all in the battle he was afraid to find out what the god of mischief was actually capable of. This was accentuated by Thor's behavior. As he looked at Thor walking away he noticed a steady step, his bearded chin held high and shoulders straight. Was it pride? Still, Steve shook any negativity. Had Loki intended them any harm he would not have risked his life saving Jan. He would not have participated in the fight against the Kingpin's assailants either. His train of thought was suddenly cut short by Tony.

"Let's…try not to piss off baby brother." Tony laughed as he kept walking.

"Oh, definitely." Steve quickly retorted as they both began to walk back to the group. There was nothing they could do at the moment so indulging in some snacks and coffee was the best thing they could do at the moment.

As the three men entered the room they were greeted by the rest of the group and there they remained for a few minutes. Twenty-one minutes to be exact. An agent rushed into the room and informed them that the director wanted to see them. Each of them eagerly stood and followed the agent with high hopes that the car had been tracked and was now found. Loki was even more eager. He wanted this problem to be solved as soon as possible; he wanted this situation to go away lest it brings more aches to his brother and to his friends. Friends that he wished would not have to endure injury nor risk their lives over a situation he created and for this he felt genuine remorse and guilt and fear.

"You need to tell me what went wrong. How did this guy manage to walk around sounding and looking like the Vulture when the actual Vulture is sitting in one of SHIELD's playpens?!" Kingpin's voice was raspy. He had been yelling at his crew for a while, more specifically at Jigsaw. The Kingpin's massive body wracked in angry tremors as he remembered how the price for the unusual yet useless crystal had skyrocketed to amounts he never even dreamed of reaching. His first reaction was to throw the crystal into the river that flowed by the city but he had to admit that the Avengers showing up and showing a particular interest in the crystal was odd enough for him not to have thrown the crystal away.

"The money from that crystal was going to rocket us up the food chain! No more gangster sub-mafia acts for us—but no, your gross incompetence had to get in the way of our goals!" Kingpin yelled as he pointed at his gathered men.

All of them either looked down or straight at him but Jigsaw stood defiant in the face of accusation. He balled up his fists turning his knuckles white as he suppressed his anger. Jigsaw hated when things went awry but more specifically he hated being pointed out and scolded as if he was no more than a mere spit of a child. He furrowed his brow, narrowed his eyes and listened but more specifically he let the gears in his mind tick away as he formulated different scenarios in which to put the Avengers in as payback for the mishap which now bellowed and pointed at him.

"How about you stop yelling like a little girl who had her pigtails yanked and formulate a plan?" Jigsaw dared to belittle the angry Kingpin. The men behind Jigsaw gasped and shifted about in their feet.

"How dare you…"

"If the Avengers have shown interest in this crystal perhaps it's safe to assume they'll be back and this time around they may push harder to get their hands on the crystal. We all know you won't be leaving the city. First of all, everyone knows you are far too stubborn to run away with your tail between your legs and you have nowhere to run away to." Jigsaw said as he firmly looked at Kingpin. His intentions were to set forth a plan not to insult although his manner of speaking and the chosen words could have been said to have been better worded but he went forth. "They _will_ be back and we have to be ready for them!"

Kingpin remained silent and watchful. In his mind he knew Jigsaw was right and as much as he wanted to put a bullet in his head he had to admit that Jigsaw had the expertise and the know-how to prevent the Avengers from walking away with his meal ticket. The massive man placed both hands behind his back and slowly walked up to Jigsaw.

The group of men behind Jigsaw took a step back but watched on as the massive criminal stood next to Jigsaw and said in a low voice, "Gather your best men, I want the best to be there when these latex sportin' clowns show up at my front door to take them out." Kingpin grabbed Jigsaw by the nape of his neck and drew him closer to him as he began to scream into his ear, "And by 'take them out' I mean _kill them_!"


	16. Break Shins To This

**Chapter 16:**  
**Break Shins To This**

Headquarters for the Kingpin was a small office building in which he also conducted his nefarious affairs but also tried to double it as a legitimate business as he often did back in New York. Unfortunately the rule of "do not shit where you eat" had been broken in this case as he had to start from scratch after his latest downfall at the hands of DareDevil.

Kingpin had recruited Jigsaw for his demeanor and way of handling situations. Despite his anger earlier in the evening he was sure Jigsaw would apply himself to the current situation. Yet he still wondered why the Avengers showed so much interest in the crystal, as far as he was concerned the damned thing was nothing more than a pretty object to look at.

Jigsaw had every intention of making sure none of the Avengers would succeed this time. Of course, it would have been foolish to say they had succeeded but the Kingpin's auction had been ruined and it would have been a while before Kingpin could rise out of hiding much less move the crystal. He had followed the Kingpin's orders to the letter. He gathered his best men, dove into the weapons depot and armed themselves with heavy caliber weapons.

Two of his men returned and explained that the Hulk was present indeed as was Thor but what he was concerned with was that tall and dark new addition the Avengers walked around with. Jigsaw had pulled the security tapes from the area and carefully watched. He laid his eyes on the Hulk and on the thunderer and while both were dangerous on their own together they would be a massive threat to them. His nerves were shaken when he noticed and analyzed the unknown man accompanying the Avengers.

He fought alongside them, seemed to use magic, although the idea of magic existing made him call himself a fool for believing in fairytales but there was no other explanation for the energy emitting from the man.

The other event he made a point of was that unlike the Avengers this man had no quarrel with killing some of the men. When he slammed one half of the car into the wall it had crushed the man holding the gun and the bodies who had been turned to stone and were now dust on the ground was also a testament to that.

Jigsaw made a note to make sure extra precautions were taken to deal with this one individual. All the power of the thunderer, all the rage of the Hulk, all the need to show off his abilities like Iron Man but also the ability to shred the delicate fabric of morality and kill just like the Black Widow and Hawkeye would.

As he stared into the screen and watched the security tapes he was falling more and more into the video and hardly noticed when a grunt entered the room and after a few minutes the man cleared his throat and said, "Sir, all preparations are complete. The men are all in place, armed and ready."

Jigsaw waved the grunt away silently but never removed his eyes from the screen. The grunt nodded and removed himself from the room to join the others. They had sixteen floors to cover including the basement and the roof of the building.

Jigsaw made sure there were at least nine men in each floor but kept the last floor, Kingpin's office, overflowing with armed men. If there was to be an invasion in the building they would need to start at the first floor and make their way past hordes of armed men and somehow make it to the last floor.

The Avengers were sure to make it there was no question about it and Jigsaw had no fantasies about conquering the Avengers but there was no way they would walk in without alerting the guards and while the full force of Kingpin's men would fall on the heroes they were sure to be preoccupied long enough to give both Kingpin and Jigsaw enough time to escape from the building.

Jigsaw's plan and actions were solid, for any other occasion that did not involve two very trained and very talented SHIELD agents who had had their fair share of break ins. Natasha took the reins this time and suggested they break into the medical building next to Kingpin's building.

The medical building had about four extra floors so landing the Quinjet on the roof did not give their presence away.

"This plan has three stages," Natasha explained as she slowly paced the room. They had gone down to the fourteenth floor of the medical building which was adjacent to the fourteenth floor of Kingpin's building. "First stage requires stealth and that will involve T'Challa, Jan, Loki and myself."

At the mention of his name Loki looked at Natasha curiously. Of course he was within the group and participating to rectify his latest mistake but it still felt odd. It felt odd to be so enthusiastically involved into their plans not to mention given an important role. Stealth was no joke and it certainly was no easy task either. As stoic and serious and attentive as Loki was on the outside he dared to admit he felt a sense of glee to have been given such a task.

"The four of us will sneak into the building. Loki, we'll need you to teleport us into the fourteenth floor. As soon as we get there T'Challa will disable the elevators, Loki, we'll need use of your talents, you need to find the stairs and block the way, we can't have the rest of Kingpin's men coming up from behind us. Besides that we need to silently disable the guards as well. We'll need to move quickly, chances are they may have cameras set up in the building though I doubt their security system is any good much less advanced. Top priority will be silence to buy T'Challa and Loki enough time for them to do their job. After those two things happen all hell can break loose for all I care. "

Now Loki felt giddy. Natasha's way of mentioning his magic held no ill in it. Not like Sif or the Warriors Three did whenever they had been sent out to deal with a problem. They often regarded his abilities as mere trickery and while Loki was fond of tricks, illusions and such the way they worded and accentuated their words often left Loki feeling as if he was of no use to the group and was only there because of Thor and Odin's sway.

No, this group had actual use of him, actually acknowledged the fact that his talents were needed and that it was regarded with respect. The more he compared these mortals to the people he had grown up with the more he laughed at the situation and the irony of it all. He abhorred the fact that he had been compared to Thor his entire life yet there he was comparing Asgard's population to these mortals who he had once thought of as below him.

"That's stage one. Stage two will find us all pushing forward towards the last floor to reach the Kingpin. If they have doubled their guard, which I _know_ they have, they'll have most of the men in Kingpin's floor and the floor below that. They'll try to go for another escape and that is where Hulk and Thor come in. Both of you will drop down to the roof of the building and crash and smash your way into the building while we push up and Kingpin will have nowhere to go. Only do so _after_ Clint has given you boys the okay which will be as soon as Clint sees Kingpin's men scrambling about trying to subdue us."

The plan was simple as far as anything Natasha had ever concocted but simple was not always a bad thing. They were dealing with mob bosses and street gangs, not terrorists or "masters of evil" as Tony often jerked about when making fun of certain villains. Natasha felt good about the plan and as she continued to discuss it she actually began to smile.

"While he stays here, Clint will give assistance as well and Hank will have the Quinjet protected and ready for takeoff while we process stage three. We grab the crystal and disappear into the night while calling in Fury to let the cops handle these worms. Everyone understands what they have to do?"

The group nodded in an excited outburst and Natasha's smile grew. She then turned to the quiet and thoughtful Loki and gestured for him to stand. Once he was near her Natasha, T'Challa and Jan stood near Loki.

"Whenever you're ready, Loki." Natasha reported as she looked right at Loki. A deadly menace and presence shun in her eyes and he became aware that she enjoyed being in that stage. That moment before waves came crashing into the rocks, the moment a tornado hit the ground, those seconds before a volcano erupted. He knew that calm fierce all too well because that warped calm swam in his eyes as well. As their eyes remained locked onto each other the zapping sound of Loki's magic had crushed the silence and sent a crashing dose of adrenaline through their bodies. It was as if the zapping sound was a firing pistol and their cool and calm exteriors had melted away to let the caged and furious rush out.

Teleporting was an experience none of them had ever been prepared for. It felt as if they were running and falling at the same time. Their bodies were not agitated in any way yet it felt as if they were pushing their bodies to the extreme lengths of their limits. It had only taken a second as Black Panther blinked and while his eyelids met in the middle they had been teleported and as his eyelids separated he was standing in the middle of the fourteenth floor of Kingpin's building.

Black Panther took a deep breath as he gathered himself while recuperating from the experience of having been teleported by magic. As he began to focus he saw a flash of bright green light zoom past his face. As he followed the light he saw it burst as it hit a man who had seen them and was running towards them while aiming a weapon at them. As Black Panther felt the high concentration of carbon dioxide run out of his nose his unfocused eyes followed a blurred figure running after another figure. As everything came back into focus Black Panther heard the pained groans of several men and a humming droning sound emitting from the Norse god as he placed both glowing hands together completing part of his job.

Black Panther snapped back into action and ran to the end of the hallway. As he reached the end he bumped into an armed man but before that man could even realize what was about to happen Black Panther slammed his elbow into the side of the guard's neck and the man dropped into unconsciousness. Black Panther raised his head and looked to the right and saw the elevator doors. He sprung towards the elevators to cut them off.

It was brutish and simple but Black Panther decided there was no time for showing off as he often liked to do in front of Tony. He was neither boisterous nor obvious about it but he indulged in friendly rivalries with Tony since the millionaire loved to belittle others with his knowledge and whenever Black Panther left the millionaire speechless, though only for a second, he considered it a victory and Black Panther knew Bruce and Hank also indulged in the victories.

Black Panther removed one of his vibranium blades and jammed it between the elevator doors and pushed down on the handle of the blade causing the doors to part. Luckily the elevator seemed to have stopped three floors below so he swiftly leapt and grabbed one of the cable lines.

Wasp had shrunk and had taken to the air, her small size and her stingers were perfect for the current task. She rapidly flapped her wings and zip lined through the air while stinging guard after guard, successfully taking them out before they could even realize she was around.

Black Widow moved with the fines of a wild cat as it stalked its prey in the jungle. She used several techniques to quietly and rapidly take out the guards. Most of the guards had been taken down without them noticing her but the few that had the misfortune of coming face to face with the assassin had caught glimpses of fiery red hair twirling as a fist, elbow, knee of foot knocked them out.

Stage one was successful. Loki had managed to create a type of force field on every window and the stair cases. Black Panther managed to cut away at the lines rendering the only elevator in the building useless. The Black Panther hung on to one of the cut cables and began to push and pull his body until he was swinging in midair. He pushed and pulled further until he managed to touch the wall with his feet and as he propelled himself with his feet he saw a guard walking right past the elevator doors. Black Panther and the guard locked their eyes on one another and as the guard drew his weapon Black Panther swung at full speed and power towards the guard and as soon as he was close to the doors he let go of the cable and kept his head down as he brought up his left shoulder forward. With the full force of the momentum Black Panther's shoulder connected with the guard and pushed him towards the wall. As soon as the guard hit the wall the back of his head hit the wall and the guard blacked out.

Black Panther stood still as he watched the guard in case he would awaken but after a few minutes a shrieking alarm drowned the entire building. Black Panther looked around frantically, he knew this was bound to happen but he felt it had been too soon and hoped that Loki had been able to finish his task as he had finished his. Despite that one moment of doubt Black Panther ran across the hallway to find the rest of the team. He was well aware that a wave of guards would soon come crashing down on them and it would certainly be better if they were all together to push them back.

"Show time!" Clint's voice barked with a tone of awareness. Natasha nodded as she looked outside of the window. Clint acknowledged the nod and looked to the Hulk and Thor as both rushed on with their tasks. Thor swung his hammer and took to the sky, the Hulk leapt and grasped his massive hands on the edge of the building and as he pulled himself up he saw Thor swinging away at heavily armed guards. The Hulk let out a massive guttural roar which gathered the undivided attention of the guards. Several gasps were heard and while they were busy running from the Hulk Thor stood tall and lifted his hammer as high as he could. Lightning raced down and hit the hammer and as it did Thor swung the hammer and the collected lightning spread out and hit the guards rendering most unconscious. The ones Thor was not able to get were taken out by the Hulk.

The guards down in the rest of the floors were stranded due to the elevator not responding and a strange green force field keeping them from reaching the higher levels. A group of them went outside to try the fire escape but found it had been blocked as well. One of the men grabbed a walkie-talkie and shouted, "We have a situation! The elevator doesn't work and the stairs and fire escape are blocked! The Avengers are inside the building!"

"One of them is inside the building next door!" Came a voice plastered with panic from the walkie-talkie and the man gathered a large group to take out the Avenger in the medical building.

The group of guards broke into the building completely ignoring the alarm that was blasting loudly. The situation had gotten out of control for the Kingpin's men and worrying about an alarm at the moment was not in the agenda.

Clint fired another arrow and hit a guard that was about to trample on a downed Wasp. Clint smirked but frowned as he heard a second alarm going off and figured he had been compromised. "Uh, guys, we have a situation over here! They broke into the medical building!" Clint announced as he held two fingers to the communication device Tony had supplied to each of them sometime after the team had been formed.

Clint was about to repeat his former message but was cut short when a blaze of bullets broke through the door and the wall. Clint let go of the bow and dropped to the floor as low as he could. The loud blast of several AK-47s going off at the same time was almost deafening and no matter how accurate he was there was no way he was able to take them all out much less see through the wall.

"Guys, I need help!" Clint frantically called out over the communications device.

Iron Man and Captain America had then been teleported by Loki into the building after the alarm had gone off. The Captain had run off to assist in breaking into Kingpin's floor while Iron Man and Loki cleaned up after them to make sure none of the downed guards could ambush the others. Loki had also been given one of the communication devices and heard Clint as well as Iron Man.

"Tweety's in trouble. Let's go, sport!" Iron Man said as he looked towards Loki and Loki nodded as he grabbed Iron Man's shoulder and both teleported to the building where Clint was. As soon as Iron Man and Loki materialized Loki put up a shield and waited for Iron Man to give the signal. The armed guards would eventually need to reload and when they needed to they would be able to counterattack.

As the blast from the rifles ceased Loki let the shield down and both he and Iron Man raised their right arms towards the wall. A hot white light blasted from Iron Man's arm and a green blast of magical energy blasted from Loki's arm. Both beams started in the middle, the door, and slowly moved in the opposite direction causing a tear on the wall. After they were sure all of the guards were down Iron Man turned to Clint and helped him up.

"You all right, Tweety?" Iron Man asked as he chuckled. Loki did not understand the reference so he remained quiet coughing as a gas from a bunch of containers from the room they were in had been shot.

Black Widow, Captain America, Wasp and Black Panther reached the floor where the Kingpin was and Black Widow had been correct in assuming that floor in particular would be heavily guarded. The guards in that floor had been heavily armed with M16s and heavy armor. As the guards stared down at the Avengers they rushed forward but the Avengers did as well. Black Panther used his vibranium knives on some of the guards while engaging some in hand to hand as did Black Widow and Captain America while using his shield to keep some of them at bay. Wasp flew above them and zapped as many as she could.

Despite their best efforts the guards had been well armored and most of the hits had been watered down. Soon the Avengers found themselves overpowered. Wasp had been snatched from the air and thrown against a wall, Black Panther threw one of his legs high and tried to hit one of the guards but the guard grabbed his leg with both hands and delivered a powerful kick of his own to Black Panther's thigh sending the warrior to the floor. Black Widow had managed to take down two guards before she had been grabbed from behind by one guard and helplessly watched as another guard in front of her pulled a fist armed with brass knuckles back.

Before the guard could land his fist Mjolnir came flying into the hall they were currently in and as it flew at top speed the hammer managed to tackle several guards including the one that was about to punch Black Widow. As the guard that was holding Black Widow was distracted she lowered herself by crouching and managed to jump. She was still being held onto by the guard but as she jumped he lost his balance and when the full force of Black Widow's body came back down she managed to break free and quickly grabbed one of his arms over her shoulders and as her feet touched the ground she used the momentum to flip the guard over her. As the man groaned when he hit his back on the floor Black Widow landed a swift kick to the man's head rendering him incapacitated.

As Black Widow gathered herself a guard had been tossed against the wall behind her and when she looked forward she saw the Hulk roaring and Thor standing beside him. The rest of the team stood back up and met up with Thor and Hulk.

"Where are Iron Man and my brother?" Thor asked as he looked at the group. He knew he should not sound so worried as his brother proved time and time again that he was more than capable of taking care of himself but he could not help it. He finally had his brother back, both at peace with each other and Thor planned to keep it that way.

"Hawkeye was in trouble and he stopped communicating, my guess is Iron Man and Loki went to help him." Black Widow said hesitantly. "We have to keep going. Hulk, stand guard at the stairs and make sure none of them get through."

Hulk grunted loudly and took a stand in front of the stairs in order to block any of Kingpin's men from passing. Thor and Hulk found a small helicopter on the roof of the building and they guessed it was how Kingpin would have made his escape but Thor and Hulk made sure that helicopter would never fly again.

Black Widow and the rest ran down the hallway towards the double doors at the end. Thor and Wasp took to the air as two massive guards standing by the doors took a stand and squared off. Both Wasp and Thor blasted at the guards and were successfully taken down. The Avengers burst through but were soon face to face with a plethora of guards armed to the teeth with machine guns. At the end of the room Jigsaw stood next to Kingpin while both aimed AK-47s with extended magazines at the Avengers. On the desk Captain America spotted the crystal.

In the blink of an eye the Avengers and the guards ran towards each other as they roared and growled with anticipation. Both Captain America and Black Widow rushed through the guards to reach Jigsaw and Kingpin. The Captain tossed his shield and hit Kingpin as the shield made contact with the gangster's massive body he dropped his weapon as he hit the wall behind him and Captain America did not lose any time in trying to subdue him. It was not going to be easy. Despite his size Captain America soon found the Kingpin knew how to move fast and effectively landing blow after blow on the Avenger.

Black Widow drew her gun and pulled the trigger but as the gun clicked it came up empty but instead of panicking she threw the gun at Jigsaw before he could pull the trigger and hit him on the side of the face making the disfigured man haunch over holding his weapon with one hand and holding his face with the other. Black Widow raced towards Jigsaw and as she ran one of the guards had fallen over in front of her so she climbed on top of him and jumped landing on the desk and used the force of gravity to once again jump and stretched her legs forward and her upper body back. With the full force of the speed she landed both feet on Jigsaw's solar plexus and his body flew back until he hit the wall and then the floor. As she looked at Jigsaw she was positive he was out cold so she turned around and found the crystal still on the desk so she quickly grabbed it before anyone else could.

Captain America crouched and swung his shield using it to knock Kingpin off of his feet but the man jumped and connected a kick to the Captain's face. Captain America fell back but quickly rolled to his side as he saw Kingpin's foot hovering over him and as Kingpin's foot slammed against the floor the captain managed to get back on his own two feet. The captain tossed the shield at Kingpin and it connected but all that did was to disorient the man. Captain America took the opportunity and jumped up towards the massive chandelier in the middle of the room. Once he managed to get a good grasp on the chandelier he swung his legs forward and as his feet swung in front of him he let go of the chandelier and managed to land both of his feet on the Kingpin's chest knocking the air out of the massive man and hitting his back and head hard against the ground.

The captain looked around and saw at least two more guards trying to run away but he tossed the shield and when the shield hit their feet they fell back and no longer moved. The team breathed easily now that they had the crystal and Kingpin was down. Steve called Fury to let him know of the status of the mission and Natasha called Clint to see if he was all right.

"Clint, Kingpin is down and we have the crystal. What's your status?"

Natasha was met with silence, she called Clint once more but no one responded and a worrisome pang began to rise within the group.

"Clint, answer me. Stark, can you hear me? Loki, are you okay?"

When none of them answered Thor was the first to run out of the room while the rest followed. As soon as the Hulk saw the group run he chased them as well. Natasha ran as fast as her legs could carry her, Thor ran after her close by and Wasp flew as fast as she could. They all hoped nothing had happened to the three of them.

When Natasha finally came to the hallway where they had first begun they noticed a bunch of guards on the floor obviously unconscious and the wall of the room where Clint was in was full of bullet holes and as Natasha made her way across the sea of unconscious guards she swung the door open and looked on as her eyes widened and her eyebrows furrowed. As the rest of the team gathered behind Natasha they could barely believe what they were seeing.

When the guards had opened fire on the room they had hit a bunch of containers which expulsed gas which had made Loki cough but the longer they remained in the room the more they became intoxicated with the gas which turned out to be nitrous oxide. As the trio inhaled the gas they soon found themselves under the influence of the gas and as a result they had all sat down on the floor, inhaling more from a tank that had not been damaged. Clint held a breathing mask up to his face as he took a deep breath and as soon as he lowered the mask he burst into laughter.

"Oh, my God, the whole room is spinning!...that is so freakin' awesome! Tony! Tony, try this!" Clint shouted as he continued to laugh.

Tony grabbed the mask and inhaled and when he handed it to Loki he giggled loudly and shrieked, "Yours tastes better!"

"We're smelling from the same tank!" Clint said as he patted Tony on the back. Loki had also been subjected to the effects of the nitrous oxide and as the other two men he was laughing uncontrollably.

Natasha groaned loudly and planted her face in the middle of her palm while Jan had taken her phone out and recorded them in their joyful state to perhaps later use the material as blackmail.

"Loki, what is the meaning of this? We were worried." Thor scolded his brother as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hey, guys! How are you?" Clint called out.

"Oh, come on, brother. It's just a bit of fun." Loki chuckled as he inhaled once more but was soon cut short as Clint grabbed the mask and inhaled some more while laughing.

"Don't worry I'm sure this might be legal." Tony snickered, "This is some good stuff! I'll have Pep make a dentist appointment for me when this is all over."

"Indeed you Midgardians have some very fascinating contra—contrap—stuff!" Loki said as he laughed loudly and reached for the mask from Clint's hands and in turn Clint grabbed Loki's helmet and put it on his head.

Tony laughed as did Loki but the laughter turned louder as Clint pointed to the helmet on his head and said, "Check it out, you guys, I'm horny!"

"Okay, that's enough!" Natasha said as she tried very hard to suppress a smile but she found it was difficult. Jan and T'Challa were already laughing; the Hulk had found the laughter intoxicating and as the creature began to laugh he slowly morphed back into Bruce.

Natasha grabbed Loki by the arm and lifted him up, she did the same with Tony and then with Clint. As the laughing trio walked out of the door Loki grabbed Thor's helmet and put it on and yelled, "God of thunder!" Clint squared off at Loki and both pretended to be in a battle as Tony pretended to blast at them while the rest of the group pushed them on.

Needless to say the flight home was interesting as Loki, Clint and Tony continued with their nonsense and laughter but as soon as the effects were over Jan took the opportunity to show them what had happened since they claimed they had no memory of the events. Hank laughed uncontrollably since he had not been a witness to that event and while they figured Loki would have been angry or embarrassed he surprised the group by laughing as Jan showed him the video. It was an interesting end to an eventful night.


	17. See The Armies Stand In Line

**Chapter 17:**  
**See The Armies Stand In Line**

As soon as they arrived in California everyone had left the Quinjet in a hurry to wash and rest. None of them had been injured but they were tired from the ordeal, they had spent almost all night awake retrieving the crystal. On the ride home Bruce had taken the crystal to examine it outwardly and take a few notes. He, Tony and Hank had been skeptical about a crystal that could prevent death yet they did not question it further for they had no idea how it worked though Bruce was more than tempted to run a few tests if only to see what the material was. As soon as Bruce stepped out he approached Loki.

"Well," the doctor started as he drew his hand up to his chest and looked at the crystal with a smile, "that's two down and two to go. We're almost home." He then looked up and gave Loki a smile as both walked back into the main section of the mansion.

"Yes, we are." Loki simply replied.

"Here," Bruce said as he handed the crystal to Loki, "you should look after it and keep it and the other one safe."

Loki stopped as Bruce handed him the crystal. He looked down at it and then at Bruce and Bruce understood the gesture hidden away in Loki's face. "You trust me with the crystals?"

Bruce kept quiet for a minute carefully selecting his next few sentences yet analyzing Loki's question, he was admittedly surprised at what the real question underneath the spoken one represented. The doctor took several steps forward but remained at a safe enough distance to not feel intrusive yet close enough to let his posture and his next words backup his intent. He let out a chuckle and as he crossed his arms he said with a smile and direct eye contact, "You still question your position with us."

"I meant no offense." Loki quickly stammered.

"Isn't it obvious? I know you think it's hard to comprehend but you're a friend. _Our_ friend and we do trust you." With that Bruce left knowing full well that Loki would need at least a minute to filter what he had just told him. After a minute Loki hid a smile and walked back into the mansion to join the others.

Unlike the rest of the team Loki had gone to retrieve the first crystal and using both he had asked Jarvis to once again boot up a hologram of a world map. He concentrated once more and both crystals began to hover over the map slowly tracing over every inch of the atlas. Loki figured it would have been easier this time since there were now two crystals searching but an hour later the results were an agitated sorcerer with a headache and heavy eyelids.

Loki sighed heavily and decided to leave the crystals to their duty while he rested as he could no longer deny sleep. He left to the kitchen to get some water and then he was going to his lavatory to wash and then sleep for as long as he needed to. He felt exhausted and forcing so much energy to find the third crystal proved a bit much.

As he walked into the kitchen he opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water and as he closed the door he said, "I figured everyone was asleep." As he turned to his side and looked at Hank he began to drink while Hank reached for the refrigerator's door to look for some water as well.

"I thought so too." Hank alleged as he looked at the Asgardian and noticed he was still dressed in his armor safe for the helmet. "What have you been up to?"

There were many different questions that triggered many different feelings within Loki and that one question was one of them. He hated being asked that question because when he had been asked it was out of a dubious desire to extract information from him of his current activities but even the god of mischief had days, weeks, months, even years when he simply existed setting aside any plotting or mischief or worse.

"Hmm," Loki answered out loud, he was upset that his mind would revert back to situations that transpired in Asgard with people he no longer wanted to connect to. It seemed that until the crystals were found and given back to Karnilla Loki would not be able to completely let go but as he chugged another long gulp of water he forced his pessimistic thoughts out. "Tracking the third crystal or at least trying. It is proving to be difficult. Perhaps I am having trouble due to lack of sleep."

"Maybe but you should leave that for after you get some sleep. There's no hurry. Way I see it, we have about a little under four weeks and we're already half way to the finish line."

Loki turned his gaze away from Hank, he wanted to say he needed the crystals to be found so that he may finally put this ordeal to rest and he could continue with his life, or at least this new lease on life he desperately needed and longed for. He was still uncertain of what he was to do there in Midgard but he had his brother and he had his friends and that gave him some hope and at least a way to find his place. He turned his gaze back on Hank and nodded as he smiled. How easily these people coxed a smile from him.

"You are right. We have plenty of time; we needn't rush this as it needs to be handled with care and I admit I am tired and my head aches."

"Oh, there's some Advil around here if you need it." Hank announced as he pointed to the jars in the kitchen.

"No need, I should just sleep. Good night, Hank."

"'Night."

Usually the mansion would see its first occupant around 5:50 in the morning, which was usually Steve who had a habit of jogging for an hour. He would take different routes to see different views and would often run into people he met while jogging and would return promptly to the mansion at 6:50 in time to shower, groom himself and dress and be at the table for breakfast by 7:30 which was around the time Bruce woke up and would get a start on breakfast.

This day was different, the clock marked 1:14 in the afternoon and none of the occupants had risen to greet the day. They had arrived at the mansion some time after 5:30 in the morning and they were all tired and worn out. Detroit had proven to be a bit of a challenge and not even the three hours they spent in the helicarrier were enough to rest and so they slept.

Around 2:04 in the afternoon Tony headed to the kitchen to grab some food and as he approached he heard different voices and figured some of the occupants had woken up. As he sat down on one of the stools in the kitchen he rested his upper body on the marble counter and stretched one of his arms out opening and closing his fist as he groaned, "Coffee, pleeeeaaase."

Thor, who was already on his third cup of coffee, chuckled as he saw Tony begging for coffee. Today Loki and Natasha had joined Jan, Bruce and Hank in making lunch since they all missed breakfast. Loki approached the counter and handed Tony a cup of coffee using his favorite mug. As the still groggy Tony grasped his hand around the highly sought after liquid Loki leaned back and noted, "Black, no sweetener of any sort, in your favored mug."

Tony took a long and loud slurp of the coffee and as he placed the half empty mug on the counter he looked up at Loki and said, "You _are_ a god."

"May I have another?" Thor asked as he pushed forward his empty cup and as Loki grabbed it Bruce looked at Thor and chuckled loudly.

"If you keep drinking more coffee you'll be jumping up the walls like a spider."

"I do not appreciate spiders. But I cannot resist this drink. It is delicious." Thor said as he greedily grabbed the now full cup of coffee his brother handed to him and drank.

"No one likes spiders, champ." Tony stated as he patted Thor on the back. "That's why I send Parker a can of Raid every Christmas."

"Oh, my God, Tony, you're horrible." Hank said as he approached the kitchen counter with two plates of hot food.

"Oh, speaking of me, Loki, I took the liberty of downloading a few books to your Kindle that I'm sure you'll find interesting before we left. Bruce and Hank even added a few as well."

As they ate they accompanied their lunch with idle chat and other stories. Most were memories from either childhood or job related or even as Jan recalled the horrors of school. Later into the day Loki overlooked the crystals and the hologram and was disheartened to see that they were still hovering over the hologram trying desperately to find the other two crystals.

Loki approached the crystals and concentrated as he stared into the crystals' very center urging them to quicken their movements. His desperation was escalating. A few minutes turned to two hours as the sorcerer used as much magic as he could to find the next crystal but it was no use. Something or perhaps even someone was preventing him from succeeding. At the three hour mark Loki gave up. Something was interfering or perhaps he was not succeeding due to his desperation and in desperation one would often lose concentration. He sighed deeply and decided to distract himself with a bit of reading. He entered his room and retrieved the Kindle, held it tightly against his frame and walked back to the living room where he was sure most of the residents would be.

In the living room Thor and Jan were busy watching a movie or at least Jan was trying. Thor was the sort of person that asked a thousand questions while the movie played and while most of the residents would ignore him or would ask him to stay quiet while the movie played Jan would indulge his curiosity. Loki looked on at the sight and smiled. Thor looked like a child while looking at the screen and asking Jan who patiently answered. This spot was perfect. While he often ran to seclusion and silence when he would read he actually enjoyed being around his brother and his friends. His concentration was solid so the chatter was more like white noise to him.

Loki intrusively sat in the middle of the sofa comfortably and booted up the Kindle and began to read a book titled "On the Shoulders of Giants" which was recommended by Bruce and enthusiastically encouraged by Tony. Looking at the title of the book had sparked a sense of irony within Loki and to his surprise he found it did not bother him. A few minutes into the book Thor slightly shifted and with the corner of his eye Loki saw Thor had lay down on the sofa and rested his head on Loki's right shoulder while facing the television quietly. Loki looked to his other side and saw Jan sitting right next to him leaning her back against his side. Not the most comfortable position to be in but he was not going to speak out against it. He hid a smile as he continued to read the book while Jan and Thor watched the movie.

Every so often Loki's eyes would wander onto the television screen whenever a climactic moment of action was reached but the contents of the book called out to him. He engulfed chapter after chapter, making mental notes to ask the local geniuses and Jarvis some questions and quite possibly some references to some of the material in the book. He was fascinated by the material and by the extensive knowledge of the author as well. If it was possible to turn back time he would gladly do so to stop himself from ever thinking so lowly of these humans that inhabited the realm.

Most of the residents of the mansion were either in their own rooms, keeping themselves occupied with mundane activities or relaxing. Hank and Steve had seen the crystals frantically racing over the hologram and figured Loki would be alarmed when the crystals would find anything so Steve relaxed. He had no quarrels with resting but in a situation as the one they found themselves in it required acute attention and quick action to handle the impending danger that threatened their very lives. He and Hank passed the room where the crystals were and Steve thanked God Loki was in the right mind set. The quicker they found the crystals the quicker they could get back to their normal lives. At least as normal as it could get for a group of super heroes.

"So what do you guys think?" Tony asked as he spread holograms across the room with a swift movement of his arms. His eyes were glued to the equations as he checked them again and practically pictured the final result. His eyes shun with pride as he imagined the fruits of his latest grand idea.

"Hmm," Bruce started as he placed a hand on his hip and the other was used to adjust his glasses as he read the equations in the holograms, the idea was magnificent but it did have its fair share of risks and Bruce questioned whether Tony would actually run those risks, "Nano technology is pretty advanced but there are risks involved." Bruce then turned to look at Tony and continued, "You are aware of that, aren't you, Tony?"

Tony jerked his head towards Bruce and raised a brow up as he said, "I wouldn't be any good at what I do if I didn't consider all possibilities."

Bruce's face lit up with a smile as he rolled his eyes upward and shook his head. If Tony Stark could ever be described in one word the rest of the world would say genius and Bruce was not about to argue with that notion but he would gladly choose cocky.

"Christ, this chicken scratch is like trying to read music sheets." Clint muttured as he leaned forward and squinted his eyes as if doing so would unlock some sort of secret code to better understand the equations. "Whatever it is…at least test it out first. Or are you going to go through SHIELD's most wanted list, injure them all and then adopt them?"

T'Challa, Natasha and Clint broke into laughter but Tony shot daggers at Clint with his glare as he crossed his arms over his chest. Part of him felt a watered down version of shame as he remembered what had happened to Loki but given the results and the state they were now in he looked back on it all and thought of what would have been had the beam not injured Loki and as much as he did not want to think so he was glad it all happened. He quickly shook his head dismissively and smiled as he retracted the holograms.

"Sir, you have a—" Jarvis softly spoke but was quickly cut off.

"Oh, Jarvis I need you to store the file I just closed in my "future projects" archives. That looks very promising." Tony said as he slightly bent over the desk and began to rapidly run his fingers over the keyboard of the laptop in front of him.

"Very good, sir." The program responded but continued to attempt to alert Tony, "But I believe you should be alerted to—"

Once again Jarvis was cut short by Tony who continued to keep his eyes glued to the screen and rapidly pounded each finger into the keyboard as endless ideas swirled around his head violently like an F5 tornado would passing through a valley. "One last thing, unless it's an emergency or it has to do with the crystals I don't want to be disturbed."

"Miss Potts has just arrived."

Tony blinked rapidly as he processed the words his virtual butler blurted out and if Tony could have imagined an actual butler he would have imagined a look of utter frustration on his face. Slowly all of the equations, calculations, numbers, elements and materials that ran through Tony's mind were all pushed aside by the realization that Pepper had just returned from New York and Tony never bothered to share certain details with her. Crucial details. Details that had become so ordinary to him that he forgot that most if not all who he had ever come into contact with would need to know.

Pepper dragged her feet, the flight was long. Even the luxury of flying in a private plane was a hassle all on itself and no matter how comfortable she was jetlag was inevitable. Going through security was a nightmare, making a long trip with only four hours worth of sleep made it all the worse. Still she insisted on surprising Tony by showing up at the mansion unannounced. There was the risk of getting to the mansion and finding out Tony was out playing heroes and villains but he would have to return at some point and it was, she confessed, worth the wait to see the look on his face upon his arrival.

She stopped in front of the door and inhaled the afternoon air while simultaneously closing her eyes as a bit of breeze swept her hair. She gripped her purse and bag firmly and opened the door. It was unlocked so it was a sign that Tony or any of the other Avengers were home. Or he forgot to lock the door again.

Pepper stepped inside and was greeted with silence, was not odd as most of the time they were all busy with either personal errands or training or tinkering away with science projects. As she walked forward the impact of her heels hitting the floor echoed and she wondered exactly where she would find Tony. He could just as easily be down in the basement working on experiments and testing new equipment, he could also be in the gym trying to show off, could be raiding the kitchen or asleep or even in the third floor's living room watching television. Pepper walked over to the stairs and looked up, she had decided to try her luck and search the third floor but as she looked at the stairs her ankles ached and as beautiful as her shoes were the heels were a painful bane on her calves and ankles.

She looked to the elevator and shrugged. She often opted to choose the stairs and frowned upon the use of the elevator but with the addition to the basement below the basement Tony figured to have the elevator continue to the top for the sake of it.

As the subtle ping from the elevator's announcement that she had reached her destination softly rang she stepped out with a huge smile on her face and as she approached the living room and heard the television her smile widened. She quickened her pace as her heart raced at the thought of seeing Tony's brilliant and lively smile. She could almost see it solidified in her mind.

As Pepper turned from the entrance of the kitchen she stopped as she saw a figure sitting in the middle of the sofa. She was about to blurt out an enthusiastic greeting when she focused on the figure. The hair was black as Tony's was but it was long and slicked back as some of it smoothly parted down the middle. Next to the figure was Jan slumped and leaning on the man's side, Jan seemed to be sleeping but she was not sure. Pepper needed to see who it was as a creeping feeling overwhelmed her. She quietly walked on to try and see the man's face and as she got closer the man's face was coming in clear and while she had no idea who this man was she could not help but feel as if she had seen him before.

Pepper stood still and silently traced back to previous memories and wondered why she was so uncomfortable with that unknown man several feet from her. She looked back to other heroes, SHIELD personnel, CEOs, acquaintances, reporters and suddenly the man was identified and as she came to realize who he was her eyes glazed and widened suddenly becoming a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming eighteen wheeler. Her mouth opened wide as the staggering beginnings of a horrified gasp began to form and as she slowly drew her right hand up to cover her mouth a wide hand quickly covered her mouth while an arm wrapped itself around her upper body and she felt as she was being dragged back. Pepper wanted to scream for help and while she attempted to call for help a very familiar voice shushed her quietly. As she saw the living room become distant she was continued to be shushed and as the voice registered in her mind she began to loosen the tension in her body.

She closed her eyes momentarily but as soon as she opened them she found she had been let loose and was standing in the middle of the bathroom and Tony was closing and locking the door with one hand while placing his other index finger over his mouth as he signaled her to remain silent.

"Tony..." Pepper started in a quivering whisper, "What on Earth is going on?"

"I know it looks bad." Tony started as he raised both hands up with his palms outwardly. He had lost count of the many times he had started a conversation, or an excuse, or an explanation with those same words. "Fine, it looks really freaking bad but trust me. You have to trust me with this one. Everything is fine."

"Tony, the man that destroyed the better part of downtown Manhattan, the top of the tower, unleashed an army of aliens, _killed Coulson_...threw _you_ out of a window and nearly got you killed is sitting in your living room at this very moment. Please, explain to me how everything is fine!" Pepper finished with an irritated tone and a stance that would make even Fury tremble.

"You're right." Tony started as he lowered his arms to his side and lowered his gaze. "He destroyed part of New York and construction has been quick. We fixed the tower and that includes your 12%. The aliens are gone, most of them permanently. He did kill Coulson, he admits it. If I were not capable of handling being thrown out of a window then I shouldn't really be playing cowboys and Indians. Technically speaking SHIELD almost got me killed when they so happily fired a nuclear device."

Tony then stood firmly in front of Pepper and with a calm exterior that reflected within his eyes he continued. "He escaped from Asgard's prison and plotted to kill his own brother. He then turned around and saved his brother's life. He was horribly injured because of me. We took him in, healed him, hit a few _bumps_ along the way and he grew on us. He returned to Asgard to complete his sentence as a promise to his brother and to us. He was then banished back to Earth under the threat of death. An order given by his own father. He was captured and tortured by SHIELD; almost bled to death in the living room. He's been with us ever since. Problem presented itself, problem brought on by him tricking the wrong people, he confessed, we're helping him out of this bind." Tony finished and kept his eyes on Pepper's hoping to ease her as much as he could. Pepper remained tense and it seemed that everything he had just said was not clearly getting through so Tony jumped at the chance to make Loki look better than he had just attempted to and added, "He saved Janet's life and Clint's as well."

Pepper had a lot to take in and it was only the summary of the grand picture which Tony would surely give in full detail later. She trusted Tony but trust could only take a person far enough when their ego and quick actions always presented a problem. And Anthony Stark was a person whose ego, attitude and thoughtless quick actions were often times the antagonist of many situations.

Pepper searched for the right words but it was impossible to put together the right words when her mind raced with a million questions. Tony noticed her eyes frantically swishing from side to side knowing she was confused and frightened so he gave her a small smile when she looked up and searched his face hoping he would provide an answer but she was met with only calm features and a small smile.

"Jarvis, please boot up a live stream of the living room." Tony confidently commanded.

"Right away, sir." The AI quietly responded and seconds later a hologram displayed itself before Pepper and Tony's eyes.

The hologram displayed the living room, which, was quiet safe for the sound of the television playing a movie no one was watching. On the sofa was Thor who had fallen asleep on Loki's lap, Loki who was still feverishly reading a book on the Kindle and Jan who had also fallen asleep while sitting with her back leaning on Loki's left shoulder.

Pepper focused on Loki, more specifically on his entirety. He was literally swimming in the book until his concentration was broken when Jan shifted and he quickly looked over her. Pepper then noticed a smile form on his face and a minute later two blankets appeared out of thin air and both blankets wrapped themselves gently on both Thor and Jan.

Jan shifted once more and settled so Loki then looked to his brother and smiled once more as he tucked a strand of golden hair behind his ear. Loki then shut off his Kindle, set it aside and slightly shifted in the sofa as he closed his eyes.

"He knows he's being watched right now?"

"No, ma'am. He is not aware of all of my functions." The AI answered Pepper's question sincerely and Tony noticed some of the pressure lift from her body but a look of worry still adorned her face.

"How is this possible?" Pepper asked as she stared at the hologram in bewilderment.

"Truth be told, if it wasn't for Janet I don't think he would have ever opened up. He'd just lie there scowling at us, refusing to talk, eat or even take the pain killers for the injuries." Tony confessed though he held back because he was sure Pepper was still tense and even a single word could cause the situation to escalate.

"Tony, I…" Pepper began but her question trailed off silently.

"Trust me." Tony reassured her as he grabbed her hand and gently pulled her towards the door as he unlocked it. He quietly opened the door and led Pepper to the living room but let go of her hand a few feet from the sofa. Pepper was not sure of what that gesture meant so she remained behind but Tony walked on.

Tony looked at ease and comfortable, at least it was evidence enough to show he was not being held hostage in his own house or controlled as Clint had been. Pepper watched on as Tony stopped behind the sofa and placed both hands on the back as he leaned in. As he spoke Loki looked up at him and answered back though the conversation was unclear to Pepper. As the conversation carried on Jan had awoken and Tony then included her in the conversation.

"Don't worry, she's a friend."

"Aw, I haven't seen her in a while. Is she here yet?" Jan asked enthusiastically as she looked to Tony.

"Yeah, she's right over there." Tony answered as he pointed back to Pepper.

The action of driving everyone's attention to her, especially Loki's, made Pepper slightly jump. She exhaled sharply as she raised her left arm and slightly waved at the group and forced one of the most forced smiles she had ever had to pull off. She was aware that her physical state was not the best to be in but she really did try to calm down for the sake of everyone.

Tony could not have asked for a better situation. Pepper was no threat, everyone knew that and so did Loki, however, he was uncomfortable around people he did not know let alone trust as had been evident when they had landed in the helicarrier. Tony was mostly dealing with the technical part of the plan but he was very well aware of what transpired with the group. How Loki uncomfortably fidgeted, how the group drew closer to him to form a shield to provide some comfort. He saw all of it. Although this situation was different he saw Loki tense up as Pepper was and he was more than glad that the two people who made him feel the safest, Jan and Thor, were present so the introductions could go smoothly.

"Come on over, Pepper." Tony asked as he looked to her and waved her over with one hand. She looked at his hand and then at his face and saw his smile. It was not forced nor fake of this she was sure, Pepper then drew her attention to Jan and her face was as bright as Tony's though sleepy. In that very moment Thor had woken up, he sat up straight as he stretched and scratched the back of his head simultaneously. Thor blinked a few times and then looked over to where everyone else was looking at and saw Pepper. His mouth quickly formed a ridiculously wide smile albeit pleasant.

"Lady Pepper, it is most pleasant to see you once again!" Thor bellowed as he kept smiling.

Jan had picked up on Pepper's stance and quickly added in her own welcome to try and defuse the situation. She had not seen Loki but she knew he had to have been tense as well. "Hi, Pep! When did you get in?"

"Oh…just now." Pepper's voice was delicate and if anyone in the room had a keen sense of hearing they could have also heard the quivering in her voice, "It was a long trip. I'm just gonna go and freshen up."

"No, come on." Tony said as he continued to smile, "tell me about your day." Tony continued as he walked over to Pepper and grabbed her hand gently and walked her over to the love seat next to the couch. Tony dropped with a solid thud while Pepper placed both hands behind her and as her knees slowly bent to sit she pushed the pencil skirt close to her legs. As she sat down she laced her hands together and placed them on her lap.

"Ah, Loki, this is Pepper Potts. If it weren't for her I wouldn't even know where my own head was placed. Pepper, this is Loki, little brother to that big, blonde teddy bear." Typical of Tony to squeeze in a joke whenever possible and while all the jokes made Pepper have a reaction whether negative or positive she remained neutral.

"Hello." It was pretty much all Pepper could muster.

"Lady Pepper." Loki acknowledged as he slightly bowed. A greeting gesture that the team had grown accustomed to because of Thor and was now as common as a handshake or a high-five.

"Just Pepper is fine." Pepper said, this time with a little more confidence seeing as how there really seemed to be no hostility coming from the other Asgardian.

"You all right there, sport?" Tony asked and broke Pepper's concentration. She had not really noticed but Loki kept looking intently at Pepper, studying her figure and watching every little move she made and sound coming from her.

"Yes." Loki answered and it was true. He was fine if a bit nervous. After his second encounter with SHIELD Loki had taken to being weary of new people. It was fine Tony gathered. "If you'll excuse me, I have to verify the progress of the crystals."

"I'll go with you." Jan announced. "Ooh, let's get some soda."

It was better if they took a break, Loki looked like he needed it and Jan accompanying him would be even better. Tony was sure Jan would assure Loki that Pepper was a friend even if she was nervous. Tony thought he knew why she was nervous, it had gone unspoken but they all knew why. The New York incident was not just going to disappear from the minds of the public overnight or ever but at least this introduction had been a success. Thor remained sitting though looking in the direction in which Loki and Jan had gone in. He then turned his attention to Pepper and smiled.

"He means us no harm at all, Lady Pepper. Whatever had plagued my brother is long gone from him. He is once again a friend. All will be well." As Thor finished he stood up and left in the direction to the kitchen. Chances are it was to raid the refrigerator for food and plenty of it.

"Told you everything would be fine."

"And…and for once that's a good thing."

"That's what I like to see, all of my kids getting along." Tony quipped in a playful manner.

"So…what? Is he a part of the team now?"

Tony chuckled and while smiling he slightly shook his head, "Nah, not officially. He's more of a mascot." As quickly as his smile appeared it diminished as he recalled certain details about Loki's permanent residence with them. "Pepper, he can't go home. As soon as they both set foot back in Asgard their father showed up. Apparently he was pissed off, it's fine to have been pissed off Loki is _no_ saint but neither of them had a chance to speak. He had willingly returned to finish his sentence and the first thing his own father did was strangle him. Christ, who does that to their own children?" The question was rhetorical and Pepper continued to listen putting together the pieces and finally beginning to understand a portion of the situation.

"Not only was he assaulted but disowned and his father passed a law saying that if he ever returned he would be put to death, he had fallen into SHIELD's hands and they used barbaric torture methods. When we got him back he was a mess. Drill holes all over him, collapsed lung, his stomach was cut wide open—"

"I get it." Pepper had to cut Tony off short because if he continued with the details they would be made real in her mind and that was the last thing she wanted.

"We fixed him up but the bruises on his neck were the hardest to look at. Left eye was red and we thought it had been because of the torture but it wasn't."

Without thinking on it too much Pepper leaned in and planted a peck on Tony's cheek and rested her head on his shoulder as she tangled her fingers between his and said, "Not only is Tony Stark a genius and a millionaire but he's also the world's sweetest man."

"Shush, woman, someone might hear you." Both of them chuckled but fell into silence again but this time it was comfortable.

"Why did you refer to him as "sport"? What's up with that?"

Tony once again smiled. "It calms him down. At first it was just a jab of mine to poke at him for being Thor's brother. Over time it seemed to work in keeping him calm and it's worked since."

"Sir, the other residents are asking for your attention down in the second floor. It seems a second crystal has been found." Jarvis' voice raced through the silence and made Tony and Pepper jump. Tony then rushed over to the second floor and Pepper followed suit. Pepper was oblivious to what crystal Jarvis spoke about but she was sure she would get answers and the quick rush of Tony to his butler's request seemed urgent.

Once they were down on the second floor Pepper saw the rest of the Avengers neatly gathered around a hologram of a map and two strange looking crystals fixated on a single location. Pepper then moved her eyes over the crowd, Loki stood close to the hologram while Hank stood next to him. She could barely make out what was said but focused on Hank patting Loki on the back and as he turned to look at him Hank smiled. Pepper walked closer to the group to hear what was being said.

"Good job, L! We can get our hands on the third one and if we're lucky head off to get the fourth one and we're home free!" Hank boasted loudly. The mood in the group was a shared pleasant one and Pepper easily picked up on it yet remained observant.

"Goshen, Utah." Exclaimed Natasha. "It's not so far from California. We can make it there and back in one day."

"Perfect!" Tony's voice caught Pepper's attention, "We'll be out of this mess yet. And with plenty of time to spare, huh, sport?" Pepper looked on and saw Tony elbowing the dark haired Asgardian to which caused him to face Tony and actually smiled.

Now Pepper's curiosity was escalating and she asked, "What mess? What happened?"

Her curiosity had been perceived more like concern and so the group fell silent. Thor motioned forward to speak up but before he could Loki had intervened and gave Pepper a summary of the current events. "A misdeed of mine has backfired on me. My former allies have discovered my true intentions of betrayal and have set forth a plan to either eradicate me or this realm should their request be denied. I am doing all I can to stop them from succeeding in bringing their wrath upon this realm."

Pepper was certainly not expecting the man to answer her much less be so brutally honest. She then looked to the group and in an even more surprising move Clint moved forward and playfully shoved the second Asgardian with his shoulder and added, "And to prevent anyone from eradicating anyone else we'll be there with him to help." The rest of the team nodded and smiled and Pepper looked on still holding an inkling of doubt in her mind but still remaining more accepting of the situation.

"Well, guys, let's get to it!" Announced Steve and the rest of the team followed.


	18. War, Children, Is Just A Shot Away

**Chapter 18:**  
**War, Children, Is Just A Shot Away**

"All right, we should be landing near Goshen in a few minutes. Hopefully this will all go smoothly and quietly." Exclaimed Tony who was fully decked out in his Iron Man suit. Just because he hoped the recovery of the third crystal would go smoothly it did not mean that he or any other team member would go unprepared. Landing the Quinjet in the outskirts of the town of Goshen Tony booted up the signal from the crystal they had traced from the hologram and while still using Loki's magic he was able to track down the third crystal.

As they walked through the town following the signal the team looked around and suspicion began to topple over. There was not a single resident or animal on the road, even more disturbing was the silence that had blanketed the town. Bruce looked at his watch and saw it was 3:57 in the afternoon. There should have been children running about and adults idly returning to their homes from work. There was not even a single car running.

"Where's everyone?" Jan asked and there was a slight bit of caution in her breath.

"Hidden. All of the occupants of this small town are hidden." Loki answered as he continued to look about while using magic to sweep the nearby area to find any forms of life.

"Yeah, but why?" Tony questioned as he continued to keep a steady eye on the signal.

Suddenly the signal jerked about halfway across town but before Tony could announce the sudden change the signal vanished and a loud roar echoed through the air. The team readied themselves and from behind a house a massive creature leapt over a house and aimed right for the team.

"Oh…that's why…" It had not been meant to be seen as a joke but nevertheless Hank and Clint stared at Bruce for the painfully ironic answer and soon scattered before the creature landed where the group had been standing.

The solid thud from the creature's landing had kicked up a thick dust cloud and as it searched the area it had been knocked back by Thor who had run up to the creature and struck it with Mjolnir. The creature landed several feet from Thor but quickly rose back to its feet. It stood tall, resembled a giant anthropomorphic lizard, and had a long thick tail, sharp claws and teeth. It wore a tattered white lab coat and equally tattered purple pants.

The creature registered in Thor's mind as an enemy of the man of spiders. Thor stood tall yet vigilant but wondered how The Lizard came to be in such a remote part of Midgard as he usually remained in New York to torment the poor spider child. As Thor gripped Mjolnir The Lizard hissed and as Thor swung his arm back a crackling explosion blew near Thor and another creature flew past the thunderer and landed right in The Lizard's midsection sending both it and The Lizard right into one of the office buildings.

Thor lowered his stance and looked to his left to see his brother walking up to the thunderer quietly assessing whether he had been injured or not. The brothers exchanged sly smiles but as they turned to join the rest of the team a familiar voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Well, well, what a predicament you seem to find yourselves in, Odinsons." Amora taunted as she materialized on top of a car and as she looked to the brothers they glared. "What? You actually believed it was going to be easy to retrieve the crystals in time? Tsk, tsk, tsk, you disappoint me."

"What are you up to, Enchantress?" Asked Thor as a menacing look took over his face.

"Me? Oh, you shan't receive troubles from me. Apparently, mortals covet the opportunity to live forever without the repercussions of facing death. Now that Hela's crystals have been spread through Midgard and…someone announced one of their locations and what they do, well…it was only a matter of time before they flocked to it like moths to a flame."

Both brothers gasped at the realization that Amora had gone out of her way to make the recovery of the crystals that much difficult. As Amora cackled Thor snarled and motioned towards her but Loki held him back. "Brother, remove her from mind. We must get to the crystals before anyone else does."

Thor continued to stare down at Amora but Loki tugged at his arm once more only this time he listened and both turned their backs on Amora and walked back to join the others. As the distance between Amora and the brothers widened Thor took to the sky to reach the others quickly having heard more roaring and shouts. Loki was about to run but his senses were overrun by a tingling feeling. He lowered his stance and looked to his left where a lone house stood. He turned the rest of his body towards it and took three steps forward cautiously keeping an eye on the structure. Something called him to it yet he did not know what it was, there was a familiar feeling emitting from the inside of the house, he felt as if there was something inside watching him.

As he walked forward he failed to notice a massive creature looming in from behind him. As the shadow of the creature surpassed his own and kept crawling on the dirt in front of the Asgardian sorcerer he quickly looked back but the creature's massive back hand struck Loki and sent him flying until he hit a car.

Loki groaned but gathered his senses back in time to see a massive hulk like creature. The creature was similar to Banner's counterpart yet different. Its muscle tone was completely disproportionate to that of the Hulk's, it was not to say that the Hulk's was not either but at least there was some semblance to a humanoid structure, this creature's gray skin looked like it could rip at any moment. The lack of hair provided aid in making this creature seem more monstrous than the Hulk and if Loki was correct he could swear the creature was even bigger than the Hulk.

Abomination roared as he slammed both fists into the ground and ran towards Loki. As the creature reared itself upon the Asgardian he remained still waiting for the right moment. As Abomination's steps shook the Earth beneath Loki the creature approached and as he did he tangled both massive hands together to form one giant fist and once near his target he dropped his conjoined fists hitting nothing but pavement. Abomination looked around but there was no sign of his target.

The steady rasping of his breathing filled the air as Abomination looked around trying to locate his target, the creature almost froze in place as he stared out into the horizon but what Loki did not know was that Abomination was quiet so that he could hear Loki's footsteps which Abomination placed behind him. In a surprising move the creature turned around quickly and grabbed Loki. The creature's massive hand held down Loki's arms crushing them against his body.

Loki gasped loudly as the air in his lungs was squeezed out but to make matters worse the creature roared loudly and slammed its fist into the ground. The fist had formed a small crater and as it leaned its entire weight on the arm pinning Loki down he could feel his chest compressing. The more Abomination leaned in the deeper the hole got and the less Loki could breathe. Loki tried to inhale but he found he could not due to the massive creature crushing him. When Abomination saw Loki's eyes rolling back he balled his right hand into a fist and retracted that hand. His intention was to crush Loki's skull with a single punch but as the weight continued to crush Loki his eyes had rolled back as he began to lose consciousness.

Along with Abomination's roar there was a second roar wailing and as Abomination's fist closed in the Hulk crashed into Abomination and dragged the creature away from Loki. The Hulk kept running. He pushed Abomination through a building and a second building until the Hulk punched Abomination in his midsection and sent the creature flying a good distance away. As the thud of Abomination's body echoed Hulk roared.

"Doctor Banner!" The Hulk looked back and saw Thor floating several feet away from him twirling his hammer as it crackled with lightning. "Catch!" Thor yelled as he flung the hammer in the Hulk's direction and as soon as it was close the Hulk grabbed the hammer and both were sent flying towards Abomination. Several feet from where Abomination had landed Mjolnir flew and the Hulk let go of the hammer and using the full force of the hammer's traveling speed Hulk joined both hands to make one super sized fist and crushed Abomination's head.

"L! L, you okay?!" Iron Man shouted as he ran to where Loki had been thrown, Ant-Man followed close behind.

"L! Loki!" Iron Man grabbed Loki by the arm and lifted him to sit up. Ant-Man snapped his fingers in front of Loki's face while Iron Man slightly shook him.

Suddenly Loki took in a deep breath and coughed once and in a raspy voice said, "How many Hulks are running loose in Midgard?" and both Iron Man and Ant-Man sighed in relief and began to chuckle.

"Welcome back, champ."

There was a crashing sound as Thor tossed Sauron, the creature that had landed on The Lizard when Loki struck it with a blast from the trident, right behind them and as Iron Man motioned to help Loki held him back to inform him of the newest development.

"Amora has informed several Midgardians of this location and what the crystal is capable of. They're here for it as well!"

"Goddamn it! We have to move quickly before anyone else snatches the crystal from under us!" Tony moved a few feet away from Ant-Man and Loki and as the boosters of his feet ignited Iron Man opened the communication line and made the announcement. "Avengers, we need to recover that crystal before anyone else gets it! Amora gave away our secret about the crystal and these guys want it. Get it as soon as possible!"

"Way ahead a' ya, Tin Man!" Hawkeye exclaimed as he fired an arrow right at the Task Master's feet. As the arrow hit the target it exploded into an extremely sticky substance which imprisoned Task Master's feet to the pavement and caused him to fall face first into the road dropping the crystal. Hawkeye celebrated by letting out a very snarky chuckle. As the crystal clinked on the pavement Black Widow snatched it and ran but was unfortunately caught by the hair by Green Goblin.

"Naaat!" Hawkeye screamed as Green Goblin flew high into the sky. The pain from having her hair hold the rest of her body weight was excruciating and caused Black Widow's eyes to tear up but she tried her hardest to snatch herself away from the Green Goblin's grasp.

Once high enough Green Goblin let go of Black Widow's hair and the assassin fell from the sky. As she screamed she held on to the crystal as the gushing wind hit her body and as suddenly as it started it stopped. Black Widow slowly opened her eyes and saw she was now slowly floating down to the ground. As her feet gracefully planted themselves on the ground she looked around and at a distance saw Loki with a small Wasp perched on his left shoulder looking straight at her. An ominous green glow around Wasp began to fade and Black Widow put the pieces together. Black Widow mouthed "thank you" and Wasp waved at her and Loki nodded while a ridiculously wide smile erupted over his face. Wasp took to the sky once more to help Ant-Man and Thor with Task Master across town.

Black Panther and Captain America fought off Sabertooth and Shocker respectively while Tony and Green Goblin exchanged exploding pumpkins and beams. Suddenly a loud roar echoed through the entire town and every single person in the area froze. The town had gone silent once more but not for long. The Hulk crashed through one of the buildings and landed in the middle of the town and along the way took out Sabertooth, Green Goblin, The Lizard and Sauron. Abomination ran towards the Hulk at full speed.

"Jarvis, pack everything into the boosters and reactor."

"Done, sir."

As Abomination approached he swatted with his massive right hand at Shocker and sent him flying into a building. Hawkeye prepared his explosive arrows; Black Widow reloaded her hand guns and braced themselves as the massive creature approached them. Loki gripped his trident and took a stance and as the trident surged with energy, which traveled from his hands, a multitude of copies materialized themselves behind, around and in front of the Avengers.

"Now!" Iron Man yelled as a signal to let the team know to fire everything they had at Abomination. As arrows, bullets, lasers and beams fell upon the giant creature Abomination stopped and roared loudly. He placed both open palmed hands in front of himself and very slowly began to walk forward. As Abomination continued to walk a looming shadow covered him and a loud creaking sound was the last thing he heard as the Hulk slammed a gasoline truck on the massive creature finally rendering him unconscious.

"Good job, team!" Captain America cheered as he looked around and saw the other villains completely knocked out. He then looked at Black Widow who was holding the third crystal in her hands and smiling. She then turned to Loki and tossed him the crystal.

"I can't believe it." Loki murmured as he looked at the crystal. He let out a chuckle and as he laid his eyes back on the rest of the team he said, "I almost feel as if this was too easy to be true."

As if by a taunt from fate or an ironic gesture the group's attention was grabbed by the sound of screeching tires. They all looked behind them and saw an armored truck and several cars speeding away from the town and onto the main road leading right out of Goshen. No one perceived it as odd since it could have been some locals who decided to run now that it had all quieted down. Yet Steve had an inkling feeling. One of those feelings that demand your full attention and would not go away until it has been attended. Steve began to jog over to where the truck and cars had just raced out of, which, was behind a small warehouse on the outskirts of Goshen. As he approached he saw a lone figure laid out on the floor and picked up speed.

When Steve approached he saw Hank face down on the dirt. T'Challa quickly studied the area and saw a mass group of footprints on the dirt circling around other dragging tracks that ultimately lead to tire tracks. Clint and Tony had rushed over to Hank to check up on him while Loki and Natasha looked around.

"Hank, what happened?" Clint asked as he helped Hank stand up.

"Uh…I don't know. We were trying to take down Task Master." Hank answered all he could remember but it was not enough, it did not explain why he was suddenly out cold on the dirt.

"We? Who we?" Tony asked.

"Well…Janet, Thor and I."

Tony then began to do a head count and came up short by two. As the group tried to gather itself up Tony's eyes went wide as he looked down the road. He could no longer see nor hear the fleeing vehicles.

"They took them." Tony gasped and the rest looked to Tony obviously confused.

"What?" Loki asked looking to the genius and then towards the road.

"They took 'em. They took Thor and Janet!" Tony screamed but it only served to spread panic and confusion amongst the group. He took to the air and followed the road to catch up to the vehicles; Hulk gave chase as well as he leapt after Tony.

"Tony, stop!" T'Challa had been studying the scene and found more tracks leading in the other direction. It could have meant anything but T'Challa knew well that a perfectly planned abduction was more than just snatching and running. Behind T'Challa Natasha hovered close by. Just as T'Challa she preferred to assess the situation instead of jumping in blind and deaf. As her eyes surveyed the ground she saw the extra tire tracks and believed the vehicles Tony and Hulk ran after could have been a distraction. Abomination made a grand spectacle and his roaring, plus the destruction could have easily covered the sound of any other vehicle rapidly speeding away. Not to mention the fact that the Avengers were more than busy with the threat of losing the third crystal.

"I'll follow these tracks and see where it leads. T'Challa, keep a close watch on the communicators, round everyone in the Quinjet. Whoever finds Thor and Jan is who you go after!" Natasha barked as she ran past the group. When they had first arrived they had noticed several cars left on and abandoned, it made sense now and it was a good thing the citizens of the town had been frightened enough to hide. As the agent reloaded her guns she made her way towards a motorcycle neatly and conveniently still in one piece. When she reached it she looked around the floor and found a small set of keys. Natasha picked them up and tried them on the motorcycle and started it. After revving the motorcycle up a few times she sped off in the other direction hoping to catch up to the owner of the other tire tracks.

"Breaker, breaker, this is leader one, over." The radio gargled with static as the man decked out in heavy tactical gear released the button on the radio. His eyes were glued to the road and his left hand on the wheel of the heavy armored truck. The engine roared as the truck topped its limited speed of 60 MPH.

"Leader one, this is home base, over." Another man responded from the radio.

"Home base, we have the package, snagged ourselves an extra one due to complications, over."

"Copy that, Leader one. What is your ETA? Over."

"'Bout thirty minutes, home base. Over."

"Roger that, leader one, over and out."

The man driving the truck then placed both hands back on the wheel and continued to drive. Even though the road had two lanes he took the middle while two black cars with tinted windows drove exactly five feet in front of the truck and fifteen feet away from each other. Behind the truck were two more identical cars in the exact same formation. Behind the two back cars was a fifth car in the middle of the two cars. However, this car was ten feet behind from the two cars in front of it. The driving was calculated, professional and precise. The cars circled the armored truck to prevent anything or anyone from stopping it, there was also a helicopter in the sky to provide extra security. The formation of the group of vehicles made it impossible for other cars to get through so any other vehicles using the road were forced to either stand aside on the dirt road or swerved out of the road and kept driving on the dirt until the group passed.

"Uh, leader one, we have a motorcycle approaching and fast. Driver appears to be a woman, over." The truck's radio blasted the information with urgency. The driver muttered curses under his breath and picked up the microphone to announce to the rest of the vehicles the sudden development.

"Attention all units, we have an Avenger right on our tail. Take her out! I repeat, we have an Avenger on our tail!"

Natasha aligned the motorcycle right behind the fifth car and opened fire on it. The windows cracked as a storm of bullets assaulted the car; however, the passenger stuck a portion of his body out of the window and fired an IWI Tavor at Natasha. Seeing the difference in caliber Natasha decided to go for a quick solution. She sped up and reached the car while remaining at a safe distance. Once Natasha was sure she took her Kel-Tec PF-9 and fired a few rounds into the front left tire of the car causing it to swerve erratically. As the passenger made his way out of the sunroof Natasha repeated the process on the back left tire resulting in the car swerving out of control and crashing into a rock formation on the side of the road.

"Leader one, you got another target approaching fast from behind. It's…I honestly don't know what the fuck that is." The helicopter's pilot announced through the radio to the driver of the truck.

The target which he spoke of was in fact a large quadruped, covered in scales; massive paws with equally massive claws, on its head were twisted and jagged antlers. The creature ran surprisingly fast, so much so that it easily ran past Natasha. As Natasha stared she could not help but think the creature was their resident shape-shifter.

The creature ran up to the black car on the left easily towering over it. The driver and the passenger stared in bewilderment but that did not stop them from reaching for their weapons. The driver aimed a Ruger LC9 while the passenger used a Tavor as well. Both men aimed and fired upon the creature. None of the bullets seemed to penetrate the scaly flesh of the creature but the impact did cause it to swerve a bit to the left. Once the creature got its bearings back it let out a warbling roar and lowered its head hooking its massive antlers under the car. As the men continued to fire the creature lifted the car momentarily but as the car was dropped and hit the pavement violently the driver dropped his gun. Seconds later the creature attempted the same maneuver. This time it succeeded in lifting the left side of the car and with a jerking movement managed to lift the car high enough to flip it to the right making the car land on the other black car to the right.

"Son of a bitch!" The truck driver screamed as he reached for the radio's microphone. "Someone get those two off of my fucking tail!"

Natasha laughed loudly as she continued to chase after the creature and the vehicles. She swerved carefully to avoid the destroyed cars and held her gun carefully to try and blow out one of the tires of the truck to slow it down. Her plan would have worked but the helicopter made its way to the scene and flew ahead. It circled around and flew as quickly as it could towards Natasha and the creature. The truck driver was now getting nervous and agitated. He looked to his right and said, "No worries. We'll get the target delivered."

Skurge furrowed his brow at the mortal's weak sense of reassurance. He looked out of the window and back to see a massive bilgesnipe catching up.

The helicopter hovered over the road sideways exposing the co-pilot who had grabbed a sniper rifle and opened the door to try to take out both targets. The bilgesnipe placed itself in front of Natasha and kept running occasionally roaring. As they approached the helicopter the bilgesnipe jumped and lowered its head exposing its skull and jagged antlers and tore through the helicopter taking out the pilot. With the pilot dead and the front of the helicopter destroyed it swirled out of control and crashed in the middle of the road. Natasha looked back after she heard tires screeching and metal crashing on metal indicating that people who were driving behind them had been exposed to the danger.

"Tony, turn around! Turn the hell around!" Natasha screamed into her communicator. Part of her told her to slow down to help the possibly injured people on the road but she could not just stop, not when Thor and Jan were in danger and who was to say that as soon as Loki caught up he would not slaughter the kidnappers.

As soon as the rest of the team would pick up the trail they were sure to stop and help the injured civilians. Right now she had to focus on stopping the armored truck. As if a reminder the creature roared once again and Natasha heard gunshots. She revved the motorcycle to speed up.

The bilgesnipe ran as fast as it could but it was still unable to properly catch up to the truck but Natasha easily caught up. She weighed her options carefully, if she shot the driver dead the truck would swerve out of control and possibly crash. While it would take more than that to even injure Thor Jan was in the truck and she would not be so lucky. Natasha growled as she slowed enough to catch up with the back tire of the truck and opened fire on it. After the fourth shot she successfully blew out the tire and as the truck swerved it began to slow down. The bilgesnipe ran faster and finally caught up to the truck. In one swift move it leapt and landed on top of the armored truck and hung onto it with its claws causing the truck to slow down drastically. Once it had a good enough grip it began to claw at the truck though its massive claws were barely making a dent.

"Keep going!" Skurge ordered.

"I can't go any faster! They blew out one of the tires!" The driver responded as he stomped on the pedal.

Natasha kept an eye on the bilgesnipe making sure it would not fall off and occasionally keeping an eye on the black car in front of her. As the creature snarled it bit into the metal of the truck as it continued to claw causing very little damage to it. Natasha could see the desperation in Loki to get Thor and Jan out so she grabbed her gun to shoot out another tire. Two blown tires and a massive creature on the truck should have sufficed to gradually slow the truck down to a halt. However, Loki saw the teeth and claws were having no effect so he shifted back to his normal form and as the weight lifted off the truck it picked up a little speed. Natasha noticed and looked up to see Loki instead of the bilgesnipe. As she kept an eye on him she failed to notice the car in front of her had suddenly hit the brakes and crashed into the motorcycle causing Natasha to fly right into the back window of the car.

Natasha's body hit the back window hard. As the car took off once more Natasha rolled right off the back of the car and fell hard on the pavement. She groaned as she tried to move but she was both in pain and dazed from the hit. As a pickup truck sped onward it hit the brakes as the driver saw Natasha in the middle of the road. As it neared Natasha she moved her head slightly towards the screeching sound and saw the truck near her. She could only brace herself for what was coming and as she did she closed her eyes shut hoping in the back of her mind for it to be quick and though it would have been foolish to wish it to be painless she did so nonetheless.

As the pickup truck's grill neared her face she opened her eyes once again. Her breath quickened, her mind played out regrets, loss, wishes and dreams and thoughts she had not visited in years. As her lips parted and a scream formed in the middle of her throat a field of green enveloped her vision. A wall of energy solidified between her and the pickup truck causing the vehicle to hit the wall and slide right off of her body. Natasha had been encased in a force field of energy which allowed the pickup to slide right off her body but the vehicle flipped in the middle of the air and landed a few feet from her.

Loki inhaled again when he saw the force field had saved Natasha and saw some vehicles behind the pickup truck had stopped at a safe distance. As he lowered his right arm he then looked back to the truck only to see Amora standing on top of the moving vehicle with her right arm extended and her palm glowing purple. Before Loki could react Amora fired an energy beam right at him which caused him to let go of the armored truck. Loki hit the pavement hard and as he rolled on the road he scrapped his right palm and the right side of his face. As he watched the truck and cars speed away Amora began to glow purple and seconds later the vehicles vanished into thin air.

"Natasha!" Tony called out as he landed near the assassin. He lifted the face plate of the suit off his face and as he knelt behind her the force field covering Natasha faded away. "Nat, are you all right?" Tony asked.

Natasha slowly shook her head as she pointed to her left arm and said in a raspy voice, "Dislocated."

T'Challa had rushed to Natasha in time to hear what had been ailing her. He grabbed her left arm with both hands to try and set the arm back into place. Tony looked up when the rest of the team had reached her and ordered them to check on the driver of the pickup truck and check the other crashed cars. At a distance Tony could hear the wailing of police sirens. Normally it would have been good to hear them but the catastrophe of having had two members of the Avengers kidnapped right under their noses had Tony's mind in a bundle. As Natasha's pained yelp distorted Tony's concentration he looked around and saw Clint and Steve helping the pickup truck driver, T'Challa was helping Natasha to her feet, Bruce had changed back and had run off to the Quinjet to retrieve one of the many backpacks with clothes he had hidden in different places for just that occasion. Hank had taken off further down the road and as Tony's eyes traced the road he saw where Hank was headed.

Tony flew after Hank and the rest of the group soon followed after they made sure the police had arrived to keep an eye on the injured. Once Hank reached Loki he and Tony knelt down to check on the Asgardian. He was still conscious though somewhat catatonic. Hank grabbed Loki's shoulder and slightly shook him, there was a wild look in his eyes which had been accentuated by the deep breaths exhaling and inhaling from his chest.

"Loki, where are they?! Where did they go?!"

"Hank, take it easy." Tony said as he tried to grab Hank by the shoulder but Hank pulled himself away from Tony's hand.

Loki slowly closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened his eyes again a tear escaped his left eye, "I'm so sorry, Hank."

Hank received the message and as he began to hyperventilate a storm of possibilities raced through his mind. Fear enveloped him, fear for Jan, of what they might do to her. Fear of not being able to be there to protect Jan. Fear of never seeing her again. There was no question that it had been Amora who had orchestrated the play and this confused Hank. They still had over three weeks left to find all of the crystals to deliver them back to Karnilla. This move made no sense at all.

Hank shuddered loudly as he rose back up. Tony grabbed Hank's arm and firmly said, "We'll get them both back!" Hank snatched his arm back and slowly walked further down the road. Tony then looked to Loki who had grabbed his own hair and violently pulled on it while covering his face with his arms. "We'll get them back!"

A few feet away from the group Hank dropped to his knees in the middle of the road and quietly sobbed as he lowered his head. Tony placed his hand on Loki's back and let him sob. There was nothing Tony Stark could have said to keep both Loki and Hank from letting their frustrations and fears out and if they had to sob and shout he would let them for in a way they would be expressing what he was, deep down, also feeling. Tony saw the rest of the team making their way towards Tony and as he looked at them they silently stared back realizing that the kidnappers had gotten away.

Hank's loud and sudden shout echoed through the desert valley.


	19. Empty Promise Filled With Lies

**Chapter 19:**  
**Empty Promise Filled With Lies**

The scattered voices had swirled into a distorted echo; every face was blurred by the salty tears that had forced their way from the corner of his eyes. He could barely focus, let alone analyze why Amora had done what she did but the answer blithely made its way into his mind. He would have done the same. He never was the sort to keep a promise, honor a code or firmly stay truthful.

Lessons and karma had no discrimination towards age, race, and status or even distinguished between men and gods. This was his lesson. A lesson learned through pain both physical and emotional, he had been broken down and brought low, so low he did not think he would ever stand again. It seemed along the way he also had, as the mortal's say, a taste of his own medicine. There was no reason for Amora to have betrayed the established deadline but she had done so either way.

This was exactly what everyone who had ever dealt with the trickster god had gone through. Fury, confusion, despair and hopelessness and looking at it from a different point of view it was devastating albeit smart. He had undergone some major changes but at the core he was still who he had always been. The rest of the team knew it; no one really changes the core of their being, what does change is the manner in which it is displayed. He could never be a purely noble and heroic figure but had come to be as protective as Captain Steve Rogers, he was vengeful as the SHEILD agent Natasha Romanoff, he was as dedicated as the amazing Hank Pym, disciplined as SHIELD's eye in the sky Clint Barton, selfish and arrogant as the genius Tony Stark, quiet and studious as the feeble phenomenon that was Bruce Banner, sure and deadly as the royal T'Challa, playful and cunning as Jan Van Dyne and strong and stubborn as Thor. He was also a trickster and that, he found, was more than okay with the group. They never expected him to turn over a new leaf, did not expect him to suddenly turn into a hero to fight alongside them. He just existed as he always did but this time around the distance and bitter cold were absent.

As his mind raced with a million thoughts, strategies and even guilt he managed to completely miss when Natasha stood next to him holding a plastic bottle containing a transparent liquid and a white cloth. The woman crouched beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder and said something in a soothing voice. Loki missed it the first time around but as he looked at her green eyes she repeated her words.

"Are you okay?"

Loki vaguely shook his head and inhaled deeply. As he exhaled he sat up straight and said, "How is Hank?" Loki was afraid of the answer but he was more worried over Hank's state.

"He's holding up. Nervous but he knows Janet is tough and resilient." Natasha answered as she looked away and Loki guessed it was in the direction in which Hank was located. "I've seen this play done before. They'll hold something near and dear to you to push you to give them whatever it is they want. It'll be okay."

"Hmm." Loki hummed as he lowered his gaze. If he were in Amora's position he knew exactly what he would do. He would exploit the situation and kill the victims just to shatter his enemy's morale. He just hoped Amora was not that clever or ruthless.

"We should clean that up." Natasha said as she soaked the cloth with the liquid. She did not wait for an answer from Loki and immediately pressed the cloth to his face. It burned and stung but there was no reaction from the Asgardian.

"This is my fault." Loki stated.

"Yeah. But do you know what the difference in everything is?" Natasha whispered as she continued to clean the wound.

"How can there be a difference, agent Romanoff?"

"You didn't run away. You stayed with us."

Loki let out a heavy sigh and remained quiet as Natasha continued to clean the wound. Blood had been caked onto the scraped flesh and as much as the solution stung and burned and as much as it hurt when Natasha had to use a little force Loki remained in an almost catatonic state. He wanted this ordeal to be over with; he wanted to go back to the mansion where everything made him happy. He also could not deny the fact that he wanted to destroy Amora for what she had done and he vowed that her pain would be thrice as much for every injury Thor and Jan had. And if should he be faced with one or two deaths he would not only destroy her but would destroy her essence so that the name Amora would be something only remembered in the stories of old.

A subtle knock on the wall disrupted Loki's train of thought and Natasha's current task. As both looked up they saw Maria standing in the middle of the doorway, as usual a stoic expression reigned over her. "Fury is asking for all of you."

At the command center of the helicarrier Fury stood in the middle of the chaotic ensemble of agents tending to their own work. The Avengers and Loki stood near as Fury delivered some news that was vital to the recovery of Jan and Thor. His own stoic face matching that of his protégé surveyed the group of heroes and guest as he stood straight and tall almost looming above all else.

"We just received word of Jan and Thor's location." The sentence caught the group's attention and so Fury continued, "This video was sent to us not twelve minutes ago." Fury turned to Tony who booted up a screen.

The screen displayed a miserable looking room with a small source of light emitting from the right hand corner. The image reminded Loki of the room where he had been taken to be tortured. In the middle of the screen were Jan and Thor. They appeared to be docile and strange glowing white rings held their limbs together. "If you want to see them again and alive bring the crystals and the trickster to the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. You have twelve hours to comply."

The group remained silent but thoughtful and before anyone could even think of what to do in order to avoid any bloodshed Loki stepped back and began to walk away, "So be it."

"Hey, whoa, whoa, slow down there, Charles Bronson!" Tony yelled out as he ran after Loki and pulled him back. "If you go there they'll just kill you. We'll find a way to get everyone back and not lose anyone."

"Let go of me, Stark."

"Tony's right." Hank spoke up as he walked towards Loki and Tony. "No one gains anything by having you turn yourself over. Karnilla will slit your throat and I don't want that in my conscious. I want Janet back, badly, but I will _not_ trade a life for a life. We have to be reasonable here."

"Stark, let go of my arm." Loki barked at Tony but it just made Tony's grip all the stronger.

"You are not thinking clearly, you're letting your emotions and guilt get the better of you and _that_ is how people die."

"My guilt and emotions _are_ what have kept me in check all this time now let go of me."

"Not without a fight, sport."

Loki furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes. He had never placed anyone else before himself and now that he for once had the courage and the authenticity to do so he was being pulled back and while he appreciated the concern this was not a time for calculations. They needed to act and as fast as they could before something could happen to Jan and Thor.

"The situation went from bad to worse and if we let you go off on your own it'll be a catastrophe. Now come back here. You need to _think_. What guarantee do we have that as soon as we trade you they'll release them back to us? Then what? You think we'll just walk away? _'Oh, that's right, Thor, this whole mess was Loki's fault so in the end he just got his comeuppance and we just need to move on.'_ Gimme a break."

"As well as it should be." Loki snapped back as he snatched his arm away but instead of walking away he squared off at Tony who repeated the notion.

"Oh, so that's how it's all gonna go down? Well, I'm right here. You're not shackled, the chip was removed long ago, and you have full access to your magic. Gimme your best shot." Tony taunted though his tone betrayed him, his tone was laced with anger and to the talented few that could read body language well there was also a nervous disposition within the millionaire. He knew that no matter what would be chosen there was the fact that they were dealing with people who had just proven to be traitorous. Two very shaky and nervous members of the team whose reckless, albeit noble, intentions could cost the group greatly and that equation just did not add up well for Tony. Loki finally stood down and the pressure elevated from the room though his expression remained determined.

"You couldn't take a shot at me just like we _cannot_ and _will not_ let you walk right up to your own death. You're in love with the group and especially that girl but don't let it blind you. Don't you get it, Loki? We love this new you to the point where we refuse to let you do something stupid, but right now we need cunning, we need Loki the trickster to lead us right to where it'll hurt them the most and take back what's ours so we can finally end this."

"It was a bold move on your part, Enchantress." Karnilla's voice broke the silence that had been lingering for far too long now. "But how had you come to the conclusion that the trickster would be so easily disturbed by taking the elder brother by force?"

"I've been watching his progress. Either he has been fooling the mortals and Thor flawlessly or he really has had a brush with restitution. Either way, this move on our part will speed things along _and_ it will provide insurance in case he decided to take the crystals back to Hela herself." Amora answered with a sly smile adorning her face.

Karnilla was about to ask another question but she was interrupted by the sound of the metal doors suddenly opening. Both women looked to the side and saw Skurge standing at the doorframe. A wily smile and narrowed eyes greeted them.

"Have you found it, Skurge?" Amora asked.

Skurge remained silent as he walked up to Karnilla, he never removed his eyes from the Norn queen nor did his smile diminish. Once near the queen he held out his left arm towards her and in the middle of his left hand was the last remaining crystal. It had landed in the middle of the base in which they had made a temporary base of operations. A handful of hired thugs and the three of them were more than enough to wipe out the residents of the base to isolate the area and keep anyone from entering or leaving.

"Excellent."

The HUD displayed the time, 4:24 in the afternoon, in the lower left hand corner. Tony could not keep his eyes away from the time. They were about twenty-five minutes away from the deadline and were only a few feet away from the main entrance of the base, there was plenty of time to spare but he was still nervous and very glad no one could see his face. He looked to his right to see Loki walking beside him. The Asgardian had a blank and unreadable look on his face. Tony could not tell if he was nervous, angry or feeling anything at all. A perfectly stoic expression to rival that of Fury's and Hill's.

As both men made their way towards the entrance Tony could see a few figures walking towards them and he exhaled. He hoped to make the trade before anyone could find out exactly what any of them were really up to.

Jan began to flutter her eyes open as she gently shook her head, trying to recover her vision. She let out a small moan as she erected her head, her neck had been in that same position for a while now and she was feeling the effects of it. As her eyes finally opened fully she was greeted with darkness for she had been blindfolded. Jan felt the presence of more than one person in the room with her, she was not sure of exactly how many people were near her but she could sense it was more than one person. The fear of uncertainty dictated over her and she remained as quiet and as still as possible. If she had not been harmed, as far as she could tell, or moved or even acknowledged it meant she was safe for now. She slightly moved her hands but found it difficult to move each hand separately. Her hands had been bound and as she moved her arms there was a metallic clank which grabbed the attention of the two thugs in the room with her trying to keep an eye on their prisoner.

"Hmm?" The thug on the right moaned as he inched his head sideways, towards the origin of the sound. "The girly's awake."

"Eh, don't matter." The other thug, a woman, retorted. "Soon as those two weirdos make the trade we get rid of her and that Fabio looking guy and we get paid."

Jan let a silent gasp escape her agape mouth. What trade were they referring to? And more importantly where was Thor? Back in the small town she remembered fighting off several goons in military gear, who had appeared out of nowhere, and were gunning for Thor. She remembered zapping some of them but she had seen Thor go down easily but as she reached him she had felt a sharp pain on the back of her thigh and everything after that was a blank. Jan felt a sudden panic rise within her so to calm herself she began to calmly inhale and exhale. This was certainly no time to panic and she was confident that the team would find her and Thor.

The duo watching Jan stood in a small cell, it had no windows and the door was a solid metal door with only a three inch gap between the bottom of the door and floor. The back of the cell housed a small security camera which at the moment was not being operated. On the other side of the door there stood two more goons keeping watch attentively.

Most people, while occupied with a task, keep their eyes fixated on the front and to the sides, some may even swiftly brush their eyes over the floor, and yet even fewer people look to the roof. Honest mistake a lot of not so bright people make and this was a mistake a dainty little cockroach had taken an advantage of. The miniature pest scuttled across the gray ceiling as its antennae waved towards the two goons silently keeping watch, each armed with an IWI Tavor.

The female thug inside the cell kept an eye and an ear open. Before they had been assigned to their posts they had been warned about a possible retaliation so it was imperative to keep alert until they had been instructed to do otherwise. As the woman kept her eyes glued to the metal door the man next to her began to shuffle his feet.

"What the fuck?"

The woman furrowed her brow and looked to the man who was looking down, his eyes wide and mouth agape as he shifted his head from side to side. The female goon looked down and saw some smoke seeping in from under the door and inside the cell. The first thought that ran through the man's mind was that there was a fire and they needed to get out as fast as possible. He scurried to the door as the woman grabbed her weapon. Unfortunately due to the regulation set by their boss the door had to remain locked and the only way to open it was by unlocking it from the outside. The man banged the door and called out for help but no one answered. The woman was beginning to show signs of nervousness. She was well aware of the fact that standing right outside of that door were two more armed men with the keys to open the door, and no matter how thick that door was she was sure they would have heard the pleas for help.

Jan was now nervous. She heard a man yelling for help and the sound of fists banging on a door and as frightened as she was she was not going to make a sound. Suddenly there was a sickening sound of two heavy thuds and as sudden as the panicking outburst of yelling began it ended quickly. Jan opened her mouth, she was not entirely sure if it was to yell, ask for help or to let the whimper that had been pleading for release to escape. She felt a hand gently land on her left shoulder and a shudder ran through her body and manifested itself into a shiver that shook her upper body. Suddenly her restraints and blindfold vanished in a cloud of smoke and as the light penetrated her eyes she squinted a little, yet she could see a tall figure standing beside her. As her vision focused her eyes widened and a smile formed on her face. Jan stood up from the chair quickly and embraced Loki in a tackling hug, a hug that Loki returned. When Jan released the trickster she planted a peck on his cheek and if she was not mistaken he responded with a hearty chuckle. As Loki chuckled the cell door opened and Hank stood in front of it, at his feet were the remaining henchmen that had been assigned to keep watch on Jan's cell.

Jan ran towards Hank and embraced him in a powerful hug and locked her lips on his. The passionate greeting was short lived as the couple separated themselves when an air raid siren blasted throughout the building and most likely throughout the entire complex.

"Ah, crap." Jan said as she looked out of the cell.

"Come on, we have to leave before we are cornered!" Loki shouted as he ran out of the cell and lead Jan and Hank outside.

Tony froze at the sound of the siren and hoped that Loki and Hank had reached Thor and Jan in time. The Loki who had been standing next to Tony, obviously a copy, had vanished and Tony exhaled as he closed his eyes. It was a sign to let the rest of the team know that they had at least found one of them. When Tony opened his eyes again he saw a group of people armed with weapons rushing over to them and he instinctively readied himself.

"All right, let's do this thing." Tony muttered to himself as a wicked smile appeared as he narrowed his eyes in defiance.

Loki, Jan and Hank had made their way out of the building but as the Asgardian rammed through the double doors at the front of the building he froze as did Jan and Hank. Standing before them were a dozen men and women armed with weapons and aiming them at the trio. Jan, as the eager firefly she had always been, furrowed her brow and scowled at the mercenaries before them as she shrunk in size. Hank's expression was a tad more reserved but he knew they were not going to escape this situation by merely talking or trying to reason with any of their foes. He sharply exhaled and slammed his right palm on the mechanism on his chest and grew to a towering size. Loki slightly shivered, any form of direct confrontation made him feel uneasy, he was a shadow walker, and he preferred distance. However, the Asgardian sorcerer was no stranger to direct combat and having faced monsters, frost giants, dragons and an angry thunder god more than once proved his mettle.

The trio charged the armed crowd with determination. As Jan and Hank made their way forward Loki ran between them. Neon green magic crackled and thundered over Loki's hands and arms and as the energy intensified in brightness the ground underneath Loki began to crackle loudly. A portion of the cement departed from the actual ground and as a tongue it rose with Loki on the tip. Once high enough Loki blasted at the back of the crowd while Jan took the crowd on the right and Hank swatted away at the crowd from the left side with his massive hands and arms.

High in the control tower Karnilla had been witnessing the Avengers and Loki taking on the hired mercenaries that Amora and Skurge had used to kidnap Thor, help kill the residents of the base and work as security for them. Her temper was elevating but she still restrained herself, she had been expecting the Avengers to pull a fast one on her, after all, the infamous trickster had been with them, to assume otherwise was to be foolish and naïve. As her narrowed eyes swept across the landscape she let out a dry chuckle.

"Well, Odinson, it seems your younger sibling and your friends have come to attempt a rescue. How noble of them. And how foolish." Karnilla taunted as she kept staring at the battle field.

Thor had been tied with a thick chain, which had been enchanted by Karnilla herself. His wrists and arms had been bound up to his shoulders; his ankles had been bound in a similar way with the chain ending above his knees. His neck had been enclosed by a thick metallic collar that had four loops. Each loop had a chain that had been hooked and buried deep into the walls. The thunderer had been made to kneel as he faced Karnilla's back side. As the queen turned around she came face to face with feral blue eyes that failed to blink and pierced right through her. Thor's anger only served to amuse her.

She chuckled once more as a sly smile made itself present on her face. She turned around to face the battle once more and raised both arms above her head. Her palms began to glow in a pure white light, the energy crackled and as it intensified she closed her eyes to concentrate.

Down on the ground Steve froze as he heard a deep rumble that intensified with each passing second. As the rumbling became louder he and the rest of the people, both foes and heroes, stopped moving, frantic and confused faces looked around to find the source of the sound but no one could find anything. Suddenly the ground began to violently shake and it hit Steve like a ton of bricks. It was an earthquake and a massive one!

As the ground continued to convulse screams were heard throughout the crowd and before Steve really knew what was happening a deafening cracking overwhelmed his senses. The quake became far more violent forcing everyone to find something, anything to hold on to. Steve ran to a tree and hung on to dear life and closed his eyes. Foolish but this quake was unlike anything he had ever heard of.

"Oh, no…" Tony blurted out. He had taken to the sky, high above and could not believe what he was seeing. The area, the ground that was part of the base had actually begun to rise out of the rest of the ground. As it continued to rise, the huge chunk of land divided itself into smaller parts. Tony looked down and where the base had been located a deep and wide crater now stood. He kept looking around and saw islands of land of different shapes and sizes floating in different directions, some higher than others, some far, others close. As this was progressing vehicles, jets, helicopters, buildings and massive boulders fell back down to the Earth making individual explosions and Tony prayed no innocent people or his own people had gotten hurt in the process.

The floating islands continued to rise until the highest one had been partially covered in clouds, the lowest land mass, if Tony had to guess, was about 3,000 feet in the air. Thankfully the islands suddenly stopped moving and remained in place. The situation had escalated into an entirely different "ball game" and Tony, whether he would admit to it aloud or not, was nervous. He shook away all negativity and focused on the task at hand. They still needed to get through the mass group of mercenaries and defeat Amora, Karnilla and Skurge, make sure Jan and Thor were back with the group and deliver the crystals back to their rightful owner.

Tony landed in the middle of one of the smaller islands and opened the communicator. As he stood tall and looked around he gained his confidence back and yelled into the communicator a phrase they had all come to hold dear and one that sent a chill down the spine of their foes.

"Avengers, assemble!"


	20. Look To The Western Sky

**Chapter 20:**  
**Look To The Western Sky**

Clint groaned as he slowly pushed himself up off the ground with his arms. They slightly shook but otherwise he was able to use his arms without complications, as he did some debris slid off his body and he could feel a sharp pain rising over his left leg, when he looked down he saw a piece of glass protruding into his calf. That was the least of his problems. Clint's breathing accelerated into quick, deep breaths but the quicker his chest expanded the less oxygen he felt he received. He looked around to see if he saw anyone else but there was no one. His eyes shifted quickly and as his state of panic grew he began to feel his head slightly woozy. Clint was not sure of the cause of his condition but he decided to stand still in order to regulate his breathing. He flared his nostrils excessively and inhaled as much as he could in order to get in the maximum amount of air needed, or in this case possible to obtain.

It was difficult but he willed himself to try to remain calm. After he closed his eyes and regained some composure over his body he felt a faint presence wrap itself around his body. He opened his eyes and opened both hands, as his eyes explored his hands he could neither see nor hear anything but he felt the presence enveloping him. Clint soon found himself breathing normally. He smiled as he inhaled through his nose and let out a pleasant moan as he exhaled, extracting the panic and getting back complete control over his mental and physical state.

"Thanks, man." Clint mumbled to the air, very well aware of the reason why his breathing regulated. He looked around but there was no sign of Loki and he wondered how he knew Clint was in trouble. He motioned to stand up but the sharp pain in his leg sent his nerve endings into a flux of rushing panic. He grabbed his left leg and squeezed, hoping to calm some of the pain. Clint looked down and saw the piece of glass and suddenly remembered.

"Ugh!" He groaned as he grabbed the glass and pulled it out in one swift, albeit painful, motion.

He tossed the glass aside and ignored tending to the wound. He wanted to make sure the rest of the team was alright and desperately wanted to know whether that earthquake was a natural and unfortunately timed occurrence or if there was something else behind it. He walked forward slowly and felt the air unnaturally cold and found the wind blowing hard. It had not been like that a few minutes ago. Clint walked past a fallen tree that had landed on a car, there was debris everywhere, it looked like the place had been under attack yet there was no one around. Clint walked past a building with a red cross on the front and a small simple sign that read "infirmary". He made a note to keep an eye on the place.

"Steve, behind you!"

Clint sharply turned to the right as the voice broke his concentration. It was Natasha's voice. He ran, as much as he could, towards the voice. As he ran he grabbed his bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. He ran through a small alley between the infirmary and another building. Once out of the alley he suddenly lost his footing and fell but was quick enough to grab the grassy edge. He looked down and saw nothing but sky and so far away saw the Earth bellow. He let out a horrified gasp and swung his arm back up to try and lift himself. As he struggled he felt someone grab his hand. When he looked up he saw a man whom he had never seen before. He had blonde short hair, a distinctive moustache with a small beard; blue eyes like Thor and just like Thor and Loki dressed in odd clothing.

"Do not fret, I am no enemy. Grab my hands!" Fandral assured Clint but before cynicism could take over he wanted to make sure he was on firm ground. Fandral pulled Clint up with ease and once Clint was safe he looked over the edge, as his eyes darted up he saw small islands of land mass floating in the air.

"What the hell is going on?" Clint asked idly. He looked to his right and saw the stranger who had helped him.

"Wait a minute, who are you?"

"I am Fandral. We were sent to keep a close watch on Loki."

"What? Why?! Who ordered that?!" Clint's tone had become aggressive and for just a moment he wondered why and surprisingly he had become aggressive because he thought Loki was in trouble. Instinctively he grabbed his bow and before Fandral knew what was happening Clint was aiming an arrow directly at his throat.

"Stay yourself, mortal." Fandral calmly responded as he raised both hands up, palms facing outward and eyes directly on Clint's. "We were sent by—"

"Who's we?"

"Friends of Thor. We are called the Warrior's Three and the Lady Sif." Fandral quickly answered. "This is the truth, we know not what has been happening with you or with Loki, but Asgard's gate keeper has sent us down to help."

Clint slowly lowered his bow, he was still unsure of the man's true intentions but he had heard of Thor mentioning a band of warriors he and his brother had acquainted themselves with. Clint lowered his gaze momentarily but placed it upon Fandral once more. "You wanna help? Fine, let's go."

Both men, lead by Clint, continued through the back of the buildings making sure to stay focused or else either of them would fall and it was a long way down. Once the row of buildings was clear they came to a small parking lot. Behind an old and trashed Mercedes Steve and Natasha stood looking down at something on the ground. Clint hurried along to make sure they were safe.

"Nat!" Clint yelled as he waved at her but her focus was faithfully dedicated to whatever had caught her attention. Once Clint stopped near Natasha he and Fandral saw what had been keeping their attention. On the floor laid the still body of a creature. It had two thick legs with equally thick arms, a small head that seemed to be placed on broad shoulders but no sign of a neck. The creature's skin looked like tar and it had a smokey aroma coming off of it.

"What is that?" Clint asked as he stared in disbelief.

"I don't know…it…Natasha and I were just standing over there and this thing came running at us. I threw my shield at it and it cut its body in half. That's where the second one came from." Steve pointed to his left while staring at the creature on the floor. Clint moved his head to where Steve was pointing to and saw another one of those tar-like creatures dead on top of a van.

"Physical damage seems to make the things multiply." Natasha added in, she lightly kicked its right arm and continued, "They also shoot some…I can't say they were bullets or any sort of projectile _I've_ ever seen, but they were projectiles, right out of their arms."

"This has to be either Amora or Karnilla." Clint stated. He turned to Fandral in hopes of an answer. "Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"I'm afraid not. But if Karnilla is involved this is powerful magic at hand. She's one of the most powerful beings to wield magic." Fandral's eyes searched each Avenger, there was worry in his eyes and they were sure to pick up on it.

"How powerful?" Steve asked and as soon as the question was out there he regretted it immensely. He would have preferred not to know.

"Third most powerful."

"Third? Who are the other two?" Natasha quickly asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"The first is Odin of course. Second is Loki."

"Oh, well, we should be finished before breakfast." Clint actually managed to crack a joke and smiled. Natasha rolled her eyes but smiled as well while Steve smiled but he could not help but playfully shake his head.

"Anyways, guys, he said he and his friends were sent here to help us, so let's get To—"

Clint's explanation for Fandral's presence was cut short by a loud booming sound quickly followed by another one. As the group looked around Steve looked to the south and saw what looked like two fireballs hurdling towards them.

"Get down!" Steve screamed as he pushed Natasha forward while simultaneously grabbing his shield to help block her from any damage. One fireball landed on a nearby building causing a cataclysmic explosion of fire, stone and debris. The second fireball landed thirty feet away from the group but it landed on the ground causing a massive hole in the island.

Steve was the first to get back up on his feet. He looked around while coughing due to the dust and smoke and saw the others were still all right and in no danger. He helped Natasha back up and looked to the south. On a smaller island he saw one of those massive tar creatures looking straight at him. Further away, on another island there was another also looking straight at him.

"We're sitting ducks here!" As Steve said that the area around the hole created by the fireball began to crack as the land mass was no longer able to sustain itself.

"Oh, shit!" Clint exclaimed as he took a few steps back. He pressed the communicator's button and added, "Tony, we need a lift off this rock!"

"And fast!" Natasha added as she pointed to the creatures Steve had seen. They were sluggish in movement and slow but both were raising their right arms and Natasha was sure that was where the fireballs had come from.

"I know!" Tony finally answered through the communicators. "Listen, we'll only have one shot at this, go to the edge of the island on the south side and when I say jump you jump."

Clint looked to Steve in confusion but regardless the three Avengers ran to the edge of the island and looked down. There was nothing except the ground that was about 3,000 feet under them.

"Tony, jump where? There's nothing underneath us!" Natasha exclaimed furiously.

"You can't catch us all and carry us at the same time." Steve added.

"Trust me! When I say just jump but try to huddle close to each other." Tony's voice sounded agitated and that made Clint all the more nervous and agitated.

"Just because I go by Hawkeye it doesn't mean I can flap my freaking arms and fly off!"

Natasha grabbed Fandral by his tunic and held him close. He did not have any way of communicating like the rest of the group could but he could tell they were about to do something risky.

"Wait, what are we doing?" Fandral asked as his breathing quickened.

"Something stupid!" Clint yelled.

"When I yell jump we'll all jump." Steve answered as he kept looking towards the creatures.

"Jump where? What foolishness are you attempting?!" Fandral frantically asked as he continued to look down hoping to see something to safely land on before another fireball landed close or worse, on them.

"Ready…" Tony's voice spoke.

A single loud boom shook the group, they knew what was coming. They could feel subtle shivers from one another as the anticipation wrecked their bodies with shivers and the occasional jittering jaw.

"Almost there…" Tony's voice felt both comforting and like a taunt.

"God help us." Steve muttered as he forced his eyes open. He could see the smoke from the fireball as it drew closer and closer to them.

"Juuump!" Tony screamed and Steve yelled the command as well. As the four of them bent their knees slightly and jumped forward they could see Tony flying right underneath their feet. As they fell the fireball landed on the island, exactly a few feet from where they were standing. They could feel the heat from the fire and were deafened by the explosion. Suddenly the group landed on something hard, something massive, and something that let out a terrifying roar.

"Wish granted, Rogers!" Steve opened his eyes at the sound of Tony's laughing voice. His eyes opened wide and saw the massive head of a creature covered in horns, spikes and spines. Steve's mouth went agape as he looked down and around and found Natasha, Clint, Fandral and himself on the neck of a massive black dragon ripping through the sky.

"All right, Loki, you know what to do!" Tony's voice erupted through the communicators and suddenly Tony's earlier quip about his granted wish made sense. Steve smiled as he rolled his eyes and grabbed a hold of the creature as it picked up speed.

Loki, having shifted into a massive dragon to provide an escape to the trapped Avengers, roared loudly as he picked up speed and climbed. He climbed over one of the islands that harbored one of the slimy creatures. As Loki flapped his wings he brought his talon covered feet up to his chest and wrapped each toe around the creature's arm. While using the speed he had gained he lifted the creature up and flew across the island. As he reached the edge he flapped his wings once more and retracted them close to his body as he dove through the air. Fandral let out a scream and grabbed one of the spines of the dragon's neck, an action duplicated by the other riders. As Loki nose dived he reached the proximity of another smaller island. Once again taking advantage of the speed he lifted his body slightly to align himself horizontally while simultaneously spreading his wings once more to catch a stream of wind. At the same time he had let go of the creature, which, now flew directly into the floating island and upon impact burst into a mist that was carried away by the wind.

Fandral looked back and laughed nervously. He suddenly looked to the front when Steve yelled out. A carefully aimed fireball was dodged as Loki sharply shifted his body to the left avoiding the fireball. As it exploded upon impact Loki let out a roar and dove once more. About a yard away another creature was slowly aiming its right and left arm at Loki and the others. As Loki drew closer he swung his legs forward exposing his talons.

"Hang on!" Steve shouted.

Loki had been quicker than the slimy sentinel. Before it could fire another fireball Loki had sunk his talons into its chest and with the force of the speed he had gained he slammed the creature into the side of a building. Using his wings as a parachute he had slowed down considerably but still managed to wreck the side of the building with his full weight. Once pinned to the wall Loki opened his mouth and a shower of fire pushed forward roasting the creature into ashes.

Once the sentinel was neutralized Loki backed away from the wall and lowered his head so the riders could get off of him. One by one they got off and as Steve's feet touched the ground Tony landed right near them, Loki then shifted back to his normal form. There was an uncomfortable exchange of looks between Fandral and Loki but other than that no words were loosened. Tony caught the exchange and felt it necessary to address this other Asgardian's arrival.

"You, with the goatee, who are you?" Tony asked as he lifted the face plate off. He felt it important that Loki and the rest see his facial expression as he had done so for the past two months.

"I am Fandral. We have been sent here to aid in your quest to stop Karnilla." Fandral answered knowing that Tony had meant him.

"No, you have not." Loki interjected. "Had that been your real purpose you would have aided us when we were in Goshen facing an ambush instead of observing."

"How did you know they were watching?" Clint asked as he kept a firm look on Fandral.

"I had sensed them though I hadn't realized it was them."

"So what are you doing here?" Steve asked this time.

Fandral exhaled, his misrepresentation of their real purpose could no longer hold up but in truth he himself was not fully aware as to why they had been sent to Midgard to aid the mortals and Loki. Odin had no real loses should Karnilla exact her revenge and even if the order had come from Odin himself he would have been contradicting himself in aiding Loki.

"Heimdall sent us, we are unsure as to why, but he had been adamant that our help would be needed. I am almost certain that he could sense something."

"So Odin decided to send _you_ to help his son?" Loki's tone was bitter but what frightened Fandral was how the mortals had let him take charge and stood right behind him at the ready.

"Sons." Fandral corrected. "Heimdall had told us to aid _both_ of you. He had spoken to Odin and after a long time Heimdall called for us but before leaving we had heard that Odin had left to embark on a task but we do not know of what nature."

Loki continued to scowl at Fandral but he could not deny that the warrior was telling the truth. The body language, the sweat at the brow and shifting of his eyes were all classic signs of someone desperate to reach him. Though Loki did not trust him he turned around to face both Steve and Tony.

"Hey, don't look at me." Tony said as he raised both hands up. "At the end of the day if you feel too uncomfortable with these guys around then maybe they should go back home. It's your call."

Steve stepped up and stood next to Loki and added in a more neutral piece of advice. "Situation's bad but we can handle it. Maybe the extra help might come in handy but like Tony said, we won't force you to do anything you don't want to. Just say the word and these guys go home."

Logically speaking the best course of action was to have as many friendly hands on your side as possible, though classifying The Warriors Three and Lady Sif as friendly in Loki's book was too farfetched, but he needed to grasp the bigger picture. It was clear that Amora and Karnilla teaming up was bad, both were powerful and adept at magic and Loki could have been a thousand times more powerful but he was still just one against two. Even worse they had not been able to reach Thor yet and if Karnilla had played her cards right she would have kept Thor hidden away from the group. There was a lot to take in and so few precious seconds to spare.

Loki turned to Steve and Tony and nodded as he closed his eyes. They smiled in relief but mostly because Loki had been able to set aside his bitterness and made the right decision. Steve felt deep down that the other Asgrdians arriving had been a blessing in disguise though he would keep that to himself. The group had come a long way and while there was trust amongst them they were still not set enough to push Loki into a corner with an uncomfortable choice. Giving Loki the reins to make a decision, both Tony and Steve felt, had been not only smart but it led to Loki making a good decision on his own.

"Fine, you may stay and aid," Loki hissed as his narrowed eyes looked directly into Fandral's eyes. "But stay out of my way."

"Great, now that that's settled—"

"Can anyone hear me? We need some help!" Jan's frantic voice broke Tony's sentence short.

"Come in, Jan!" Steve addressed.

"We're pinned down by these weird creatures. Some Asgardians came to help but these things just keep coming!"

"Help's on the way—"

"Be careful! The higher you go the worse the jet streams get. You'll be blown away by the wind!" Hank added as a warning.

"I can help with that!" Loki said as he looked up and saw more islands floating above.

"Okay, Loki, do what you can about the jet streams as you did with the oxygen. You'll be our way between these islands but for now take Clint and Natasha and help out Jan. Steve and Legend of Zelda here will catch a ride with me to find the rest of the team. I'll try to find your brother."

Tony's orders had been given and without hesitation Loki shifted back to the shape of the dragon. Natasha and Clint ran up to Loki and as soon as they were settled Loki took to the sky to help Jan and Hank. As the dragon vanished between the clouds Steve, Tony and Fandral's lower bodies began to glow green, obviously providing a way to prevent them from being blown away by the powerful jet streams.

"Do you trust him?" Fandral asked as he watched the green energy slowly fade away.

"Without a doubt." Steve answered as he grabbed Tony's shoulder with one hand and with the other grabbed Fandral as Tony shot upward.


	21. Tag, You're It! Caught You With An Upper

**Chapter 21:**  
**Tag, You're It! Caught You With An Uppercut!**

"This is ridiculous!" Hank shouted as he tried his best to hold the door shut. "There's too many of them!"

"Aye, mortal, but we can take them down!" Sif barked back as she lifted her sword above her head posing at the ready for the coming onslaught. Hogun and Volstagg followed suit.

"Their numbers surpass our own at greater feats. We will be overwhelmed in minutes." T'Challa retorted as he helped Hank keep the front door to the building closed. Once the earthquake had stopped mass numbers of slimy creatures had been conjured up and were, as Hank deduced, giving themselves orders to attack at several places. They had taken shelter inside the only building in that island that had not suffered structural damage and barricaded the front door. The creatures were too big to fit through the windows though T'Challa figured they would be able to burst through the front door at any moment.

"Then we will go down fighting! As warriors!"

"Lady, I'd rather not go down at all." Jan quipped rapidly as she planted the middle of her palm on her forehead.

Sif scuffed at Jan's response but before she could say anything at all they all hunched over when they heard a loud screeching roar. They sound was not coming from the creatures as the roar was not the same as they were emitting and it was louder. The group of heroes looked at each other, hoping one would have an answer and as soon as each pair of eyes gave nothing but confusion they feared something bigger was on its way. The creatures even stopped pounding into the door and if these things were showing signs of fear and retreat whatever made that sound must have been huge.

"What was that?" Jan asked.

"I do not know but if it is to attack it would be best to have an advantage point. We must rush to the roof of the building!" T'Challa said as he pointed to the stairs next to the main desk in the lobby.

Hank was hesitant to leave the door but the creatures had stopped crashing into the door so if they were to make a run for it the time was now and quickly. The group ran as fast as they could and headed up the stairs. They were lucky the building only had five floors so they made it to the roof quickly but exhausted. Once at the roof they ran to the edge of the building and stopped while staring. The number of creatures had doubled and while the island they were in was massive the creatures were almost covering every inch of the island. They had stopped moving about violently as they searched for the source of the roar. After a few minutes of aimlessly looking around, the front row of creatures spotted the Avengers and Asgardian warriors on the roof. As they stared back the creatures emitted a series of roars while flailing their arms. Their agitation had doubled. After a display of hostility the beings charged forward and cornering the heroes within the building. The building was tall and the only one who could fly was Jan. Hank motioned forward to increase his stature to carry the rest of the group to safety but before he could manage to do so there were two massive explosions in the field before them. The team leaned forward to get a glimpse of the situation and as they gripped the metal railing on the roof four Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors circled above them at top speed.

The jets jerked back and dropped more missiles into the mass group of beings instantly destroying a portion of them. As the jets reached the other end of the island they suddenly exploded in midair. The group's hope for assistance or a rescue had diminished but prematurely. Down in the wrecked runway a lone figure casually walked through the sea of bodies and towards the remaining group of creatures. T'Challa squinted his eyes to better see who the figure was and as soon as he identified Clint he jerked his head back and Sif said, "Has that mortal lost all reason?"

On the runway Clint stood quietly about forty feet from the masses and removed a single arrow from his quiver. He had not even bothered to customize it for any particular form of an attack. As he wrapped his fingers around it the arrow began to glow in a neon green light that was visible from the top of the building where Hank and the others stood as they watched. The pressure was still on though Hank, Jan and T'Challa immediately recognized the green aura that enveloped itself around the single arrow. Volstagg, Sif and Hogun remained still with weapons at the ready.

Clint aimed his arrow at the group of beasts and pulled back the bowstring and suddenly aimed the arrow straight up into the sky. As the group of heroes and beasts looked on in confusion the archer released the arrow and it shot straight into the clouds where everyone guessed it disappeared. There was a sly smile on Clint's face as he scowled at the creature. He then turned around only to face the building where his teammates where on and waved his hands in the air. The Asgardians and Avengers looked at each other in confusion and then looked all around them.

Hank had looked back to the door where they had burst through when running from the creatures. He knew Clint was not waving at them but he knew backup had arrived. He looked to the end of the roof and saw another building close to the one they were on. It was twice the size of the building they stood on but it was in bad condition. Atop the roof stood two figures and Clint's actions made sense. The rest of the group followed suit and stared up. Half of the group smiled while the other half glared with uncertainty and dislike.

Thick black smoke rose from the floor and soon enveloped Loki and once he was covered by the smoke it slithered in all directions blocking both himself and Natasha who stood next to him. The Asgardians raised their weapons and shields. Just because they were sent to aid both Thor and Loki it did not mean they would lower their guard around the trickster. Once the smoke faded into the wind the group was taken aback by the massive black dragon perched on the roof. The devilish behemoth had massive horns, spikes and spines covering its body, a long snout that housed teeth as long as an arm, sharp golden eyes, massive wings and a hostile look about it. Its golden eyes surveyed the area and while everything on the island seemed to have frozen in time the creature injected more fear by letting out another trumpeting roar that forced the heroes to cover their ears. As the dragon lowered its head slightly the group caught a glimpse of a rider on the dragon's back. It was Natasha.

The dragon flapped its wings and lifted itself into the air. Once it caught a stream of air underneath its scaly wings it dove down the side of the building and over the Avengers and Asgardians. Jan immediately shrunk and took to the air and after the reptilian behemoth.

"Jan, be careful!" Hank cried out as he tried to reach for her but she had managed to get away.

Loki swooped down close to the ground and flew as fast as he could towards Clint. Natasha used the spell Loki had cast to avoid getting blown away by the jet streams to her advantage, she managed to steady herself while standing up and once she was sure to have her feet firmly placed she reached for her two guns and aimed them at the creatures in front of them. Jan had actually managed to catch up, she flew close to Loki and once he had seen her he lowered his head and she stood on it while powering her stingers and taking aim at the beasts.

Clint saw the dragon coming so he ran towards the creatures and once Loki flew up to Clint he jumped and grabbed a hold of the dragon and propelled himself up and took a seat at the base of his neck. As they drew closer Natasha, Jan and Clint opened fire on the group of creatures taking out a few of them. Loki had opened his mouth and a jet stream of fire spat forth destroying more of the fiends. As the dragon swept right through the crowd and obliterated a good number of them it suddenly shot up and flew high into the sky. The creatures and the rest of the team followed them with their eyes.

Once he figured he had enough altitude Loki stopped in the air and kept his eyes on the group of beasts and on Karnilla who hid behind them and looked up at him with fuming glaring eyes to which Loki responded with a loud screeching roar. As he floated in the air he failed to see the control tower only a few feet away from him. The screeching roar had caught Thor's undivided attention; he quickly lifted his head and looked forward only to see a massive black dragon with dark green details and a set of particularly shaped horns. It was too obvious.

"Loki!" Thor gasped as he kept his eyes on the reptile.

Down on the island Karnilla narrowed her eyes as she waited for the next move. She abhorred being thrown into a defensive corner but for the moment the trickster had the upper hand. She kept her hands up to her chest and her pose at the ready for anything. Anything except a glowing green arrow that everyone except for Clint and Loki seemed to have forgotten. A cascade of thousands of glowing arrows shot out of the clouds from behind Loki and fell back down to the island, more specifically, down on Karnilla and the rest of the beasts around her. Upon impact the arrows exploded instantly killing the creatures. Karnilla had powered up a strong force field which sadly held up. As the arrows kept falling Loki swooped down and opened his jaws as wide as he could and actually regurgitated lava.

As the lava fell on the area Karnilla boosted more power into her force field and it managed to hold up but the creatures she had summoned were not as fortunate. After sweeping across the island Loki hooked his wings on the side of a building and looked to the far side of the island. Standing tall and agitated was Karnilla heaving in fury. Loki let out a screeching roar as he stared at Karnilla but she merely narrowed her eyes at the bestial reptile.

"Natasha, come in!" Tony's voice blasted through the communicator on Natasha's ear.

"Tony?"

"Yeah, listen, take out your communicator and hold it up to Loki or give it to him. Just make sure he can hear what I'm about to say."

Natasha shrugged and followed orders. She removed the piece from her inner ear and held it close to where she could guess was Loki's ear. Loki had felt some movement but was unsure of what had Natasha, Jan or Clint been doing so the sound of Tony's voice made him jerk his head. "Loki, I found your brother! I found Thor! He seems to be okay overall. Maybe a little beat up but he's fine. Karnilla's too close to where she's keeping your brother so I need you to listen very carefully. Keep her occupied, the busier the better! Hell, if you can get her far from here it'll be great but keep her on your tail while I get your brother out!"

With a grunt Loki acknowledged the instructions but before he could take off he placed his head on the building so Jan, Natasha and Clint could safely dismount. If Loki was to distract Karnilla he would need to do so without worrying about anyone else, for the moment. He watched as Natasha and Clint ran across the roof to find a way to get to Jan and the rest of the team occupying the island. However Jan kept her seat on his head and patted him as she said, "Nuh-uh, Skyrim, I'm staying with _you_!"

Knowing full well that there would be no way to talk Jan out of joining the others Loki grunted softly and Jan smiled. Once Natasha and Clint were clear of the roof Loki used his wings to propel himself into the sky. As he felt the wind streaming he spread his wings and raced towards Karnilla. It was a well known fact that Karnilla's temper was as short as her mercy; another direct attack would surely provoke her enough to at least give chase.

As he flew over Karnilla he unleashed a stream of fire upon her once again. She in turn had managed to kick up another protective force field over herself which held as Loki swooped down and set fire to the area once more. Loki flew up high, momentarily removing his eyes from his target. As the flames fanned out because of the wind the fire atop the protective force field around Karnilla extinguished itself and Karnilla looked up to find Loki climbing. Her narrowed eyes carefully trailed his every move; her nostrils flared while her teeth grinded against each other in furious rage. He dared to attack her! As the rage fueled her Karnilla's form began to change and soon an equally massive brown dragon with white details emerged with a challenging roar. If that was the game that Loki was going to subject her to she would gladly play along. Never minding the fact that he was a natural at shape shifting and would obviously have the upper hand but Karnilla was determined to carry this out and arise victorious. She flapped her wings and took off after the trickster, unknowingly falling for Tony's trap.

High above Tony and Hulk had made their way to the control tower of what was once the air force base. After dropping off Steve and Fandral Tony found the Hulk fending off a small group of slimy creatures. Now that everyone had been accounted for it was time to find Thor. In the background, Tony had managed to find his way to every island and once he saw the control tower he found Thor tied down in chains. After explaining the plan to Loki he and Hulk set off to free Thor.

Tony raised his left palm and fired at the window in order to create an entrance for him and Hulk, once inside the tower Hulk and Tony began to work on the chains. Hulk shredded and Tony blasted while Thor thrashed his body to help break the weakened chains. Unfortunately while the trio was occupied with their current task another being had been keeping a close watch on the trespassing duo.

There were plenty of chains left to break before Thor would be able to undo himself without assistance, even if Tony and Hulk had broken a large number of them. As Tony blasted through three chains he turned to the right to blast away at more chains but a metallic object landed over Iron Man's face. Before he could react Tony heard a strange crackling sound and felt the suit power down and right after that two large and coal colored arms crashed into him sending him flying out of a window. Hulk was caught off guard as well. A fireball thrust him with enough force to knock him out of the tower as well. As the green Avenger flew through the air he landed on top of a jet completely wrecking it. His body had still been covered in flames so as soon as the fuel tank had been ruptured the jet along with other jets and a fueling tank in the small island exploded causing the small island to shatter and hundreds of pounds of debris to free fall from 50,000 feet.

"Jarvis!" Tony's panicking shouts fell on deaf ears; so to speak, his mind knew it even before he did. He had been hit with a powerful EMP, powerful enough to have shut down his suit. The only remedy his mind could wrap itself around was to land on one of the islands but as he felt his body still tumbling he knew there was a chance that he was hurdling down to his death. He tried another desperate call, "Jarvis, answer me! Power up, goddamn it!"

In the midst of his shouting he heard an ominous sound shrilling in the distance and Tony could barely make out a large flash of brown speeding towards him. As his legs flailed above him a set of jaws clamped shut almost taking his legs. Karnilla had ceased battling against Loki and gave chase after Tony. The sorceress tried to catch Tony's legs again but at the speed he was falling and Karnilla failing to properly maneuver her shape caused her to miss. As she flapped her wings she began to fade until she vanished into thin air. Once Karnilla was gone Tony could see he had cleared the floating islands and even in his state of panic he was sure he was a good 5,000 feet from hitting the ground and that was when panic hit him the hardest. His erratic breathing accompanied his persisting sweating and inconsistent thoughts. The only thing in his mind was the ground and Pepper.

While Tony fell Karnilla had teleported down to the ground below him and flew back up. If she could not catch up to him she would fly up from under him. Down below the situation of the air force base had grabbed the attention the authorities. Police, military, paramedics and every news station that got a hold of the situation had camped out near the massive crater that was once the base. Rolling cameras caught the brown dragon materializing in the middle of the crater and followed it as it flew back up. As the cameras stalked the creature they zoomed in on a falling person surrounded by debris. One crew in particular zoomed in enough to identify the person as Iron Man. Concern and panic swept across the crowd as the brown dragon closed in on the falling Iron Man. Unaware of the situation the reporters began to fill in the blanks as best as they could though their guesses only served to spread more panic.

As Karnilla drew closer she parted her jaws revealing rows of sharp teeth. Now Tony was screaming. Hitting the ground would not have been as gruesome. As he flailed and kicked erratically Karnilla drew closer and closer, he could almost make out the strings of saliva connecting the teeth.

Tony's right hand swung in front of him as everything seemed to slow down. He was so close to Karnilla that her roaring was deafening him and yet he swore he heard another screeching roar in the distance but he paid little mind to it. The only thing he could focus on was the massive dragon that was about to swallow him alive. His eyes widened and his own screaming suffocated him. He saw as his flailing arms began to fall into the dragon's mouth. As his shoulders sunk past the front teeth of Karnilla's mouth she began to close her mouth. As Tony's vision was engulfed in darkness he shut his eyes tightly, which made it worse but he dared not to look. The screeching roar sounded closer and louder this time and as it drew closer Tony felt as his body was flung forward rapidly. Loki had managed to snatch Tony by his feet and with the speed he had gained by free falling he was able to pull Tony away seconds before Karnilla clamped her jaws shut.

The masses below erupted in wild cheering, reporters, cops, soldiers, paramedics, all rejoiced in the successful rescue of the iron Avenger seconds before being engulfed by Karnilla. When Tony opened his eyes again he heard the familiar humming of the suit coming back to life. As the holographic screen flashed lively his eyes widened.

"Jarvis?!"

"Correct, sir, the EMP had shut down the suit." Jarvis reassured him and Tony had never been so glad to have heard the snarky butler's voice.

"How much battery left?"

"Unlimited, sir."

"How the hell?" Tony flinched.

"The energy is provided by Mr. Laufeyson."

"Loki?" Tony whispered and as soon as he gathered his bearings he saw Loki had roughly landed at the edge of the crater. As the massive dragon slid across the ground the people that had gathered were pushed back by the military and police department, the cheering and clapping was still strong and loud. As soon as they stopped Loki let go of Tony who hovered as Loki shifted back to his normal shape.

"Hey, look out!" A man screamed as he pointed past the trio. Karnilla had banked to position herself and set her sights back on Tony, Jan and Loki. She let out a shrilled snarl as she flew towards them. Simultaneously Tony fired his unibeam and Loki launched an offensive magical attack that shot out of his trident while Jan stood on Loki's extended arm and fired her stingers, which had been given a deadly boost thanks to Loki's magic. As the four beams hit Karnilla she was flung back and decided to fly back up to keep an eye on the imprisoned Thor.

Loki took a deep breath and shook his head rapidly to clear it. Tony took notice of the action and took a step forward but before he could get a single vowel out Loki said, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Loki scowled. He looked past Tony and saw that the crowd had fallen silent. They recognized him. The looks of fear, confusion and even scowling gave away that fact but Loki shook his head again and looked up. There were far more important issues at hand.

"I'm sorry." Loki sighed as he looked back to Tony clearly apologizing for yelling at him. "We must move quickly."

Loki shifted back to the black dragon form and quickly took to the sky as soon as Jan settled on his head. Tony was concerned about how much energy he was using but the most he could do was assume that it was nothing like his suit. Maybe the dive somehow knocked the wind out of him and he needed to catch his breath and Tony was just reading too much into it. At least he hoped. Tony glanced back to the crowd of confused people and shot out into the air following the sorcerer.

Back up on the floating islands Karnilla had perched herself on the top of the control tower. The Avengers and Asgardians had eliminated the crowd of slimy creatures she had summoned. However, she still had a large enough reserve of creatures left and with the help of Amora she sent out bigger and more dangerous creatures. There were now ten floating islands left and the humans and opposing Asgardians had been scattered all over the islands, two were able to fly, one was able to jump between the islands and the trickster was able to shift into a flying dragon but the odds seemed to still remain in her favor. She and Amora summoned the creatures, up to that moment none had noticed but the people in the base along with the hired mercenaries had been used to create the creatures. Underneath the slimy exterior there were bones, some human and some canine from the occupants of the base.

The batch of beasts seemed to emerge from the ground and unlike their previous models these had a more complex shape to them. Some had odd numbers of arms protruding from their bodies, others had multiple eyes, and others had giraffe like necks hosting humanoid heads. No two creatures were identical but it was safe to say they certainly looked like something straight out of a nightmare.

On one of the smaller floating islands Sif ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She had come face to face with a quadruped beast with fifteen arms along its ribs, four clawed paws and a canine skull for a head. The body was covered in a slimy substance which reeked of rot upon closer examination. The hulking mass gave chase after the warrior and once it was close enough it picked up the pace and used its thick skull to slam the woman. Sif was sent flying. She was fortunate enough that the building in front of her had been partly collapsed; however, she had landed hard on her back against a military truck.

"Aaaugh!" Sif exclaimed as the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. She fell over and landed on her knees and hands. While breathing heavily she lifted her head quickly at the sound of the canine creature jumping and landing on the torn down wall of the building. Sif let out a quiet snarl and reached for her Arming sword.

As the creature glared it made a gurgling sound, leapt to the ground and ran towards the woman. As a response Sif let out a yell and ran towards the creature, sword in hand, fingers tightly clamped around the hilt. The creature gurgled as it swung one of its massive clawed paws at Sif. In return Sif lowered her upper body forward as well as her sword, as the paw brushed a few inches from her back she erected her body once more while drawing her sword up managing to slash the canid across its right shoulder. As it shrieked two of the arms balled into fists and slammed them to where Sif was although it missed and hit its knuckles on the ground. Sif kept running and once she could see the back leg she quickly swung her sword and slashed the tendons of the hind right leg. That action did not go unanswered. Three of the arms on the creature swatted Sif right into the crumbled wall of the building.

Sif let out a groan but she gathered herself quickly. She pushed herself towards the rampaging abomination and swung her sword and was able to cut off one of the arms on the creature and quickly followed by a slash to the chest though it was not deep enough. The creature reacted by grabbing Sif and throwing her into the air. As she fell one of the paws made contact with her body and sent her flying into the second floor of the building. Sif hit the concrete wall and the canine monster ran to catch up to her.

Being too big for the stairs it resorted to slamming its body on the wall and when that did not bring down the wall or the floor of the second floor it stood on its hind legs and swatted its front paws and arms to try and reach Sif. Sif quickly came to and saw the hands and paws trying to reach for her. She narrowed her eyes, wiped a trickle of blood that had oozed from the corner of her mouth and grabbed her sword with both hands. Sif stood up and ran towards the edge of the floor and jumped. In midair she twisted her body around and sunk her sword into the back of the neck of the beast and as she dropped she pulled on the hilt of her sword and carved the creature's back wide open.

When her feet touched the ground she removed her sword and took two steps to the right. The dog like beast let out a slow groan as its body fell to the ground. Sif kept her eyes on the creature as it twitched and slowly stopped moving. As she laid eyes on her downed prey she could not help but smirk.

As Sif took in her victory she failed to notice another large creature had moved in on her position. A blast of energy hit Sif and sent her flying against the wall and as soon as the energy died out her body fell forward as some concrete landed on her and her sword. At the front of the building stood another four legged creature, this one had three humanoid looking heads supported on long thin necks. As the creature opened its three mouths to fire off another direct shot Sif groaned softly as she slowly opened her eyes. As her vision focused she saw a stream of fire and energy rushing towards her and as it drew closer a flash of green and black ran past her and she felt her body being dragged away.

As she looked forward she could see the beams of fire and energy catching up to her legs and as a reaction she pulled her legs up and looked back to see what or who was pulling her away. A flash of green fabric and red hair was all she could make out. Before she could react further she felt as she was tossed across the air and the two figures that had dragged her away kept running behind her. Seconds later she felt two massive hands wrap themselves around her body.

"Got you, lass!"

It was Volstagg's voice. He had caught her in midair and carried her away over his right shoulder. It was then that she could see Loki and a mortal woman running after them. As Volstagg and Fandral ran towards the only opening in the building, which was also where the three headed monster was standing, Sif saw the woman draw out two MP7s and Loki had materialized a long silver trident in one hand and with the other draw a short sword.

As the Asgardian warriors drew closer to the opening one of the creature's head turned its attention to the escaping warriors. As the head rushed towards them Volstagg and Fandral kept running in the hopes of making it out before the head could reach them. As the creature's head neared them Loki flung his short sword at the creature's head and pierced it, sending the creature's head flying back.

Once near the creature Natasha began to fire both MP7s at one of the beast's head while still running towards it. Loki's sharp end of the trident emitted a sickly green glow as he continued to run. The creature slightly lifted its body but both Loki and Natasha continued to carry out their assault. Both of them jumped at the same time and while Natasha continued fire Loki buried the trident into the base of the throat of the beast and ripped its throat open until he removed the trident and quickly inserted it into the creature's mouth and as the creature fell back a burst of green energy was blasted from the trident. As the body of the abomination fell back and hit the ground, the remaining heads had been shredded and burst open and Loki and Natasha walked off of the creature and forward. Natasha looked at Loki and he at her, a sly smile adorned their faces as Natasha reloaded her weapons and Loki twirled the trident in his hand as it vanished.

"Show off." Jan playfully teased when she landed on his left shoulder and Loki responded by chuckling loudly. Once he reached the third head of the creature he stomped his boot on its skull and pulled out the short sword. Loki then turned to Sif, who was standing on her own again, and tossed her his sword since hers had been left behind. Sif caught the sword and merely nodded.

The canine beast that Sif had fought landed several feet away from the group after leaping out of the building and let out a gurgling roar. Natasha's natural reaction was to aim her guns at the creature but Loki placed his hand on the gun and lowered it as he stared at the snarling beast.

"Yes, sir." Natasha acknowledged with a smile as she lowered the MP7s and stood next to Volstagg, Fandral and Sif.

Loki stepped away from the group while staring down at the animal. In turn the animal opened its mouth and sent a stream of fire forward which landed directly on Loki and Jan. As the stream of fire hit them the fire formed a sphere around the Asgardian sorcerer and as quickly as it appeared the fire vanished to reveal an unscathed Loki standing perfectly still. The canid monster roared once more and charged towards Loki. He simply crouched down and placed all ten fingertips on the cold ground and lowered his head while Jan charged her stingers. As the beast drew closer it leapt and while in the air its remaining hands and clawed paws extended forward. About a foot away from reaching Loki the ground underneath him began to glow in a bright red light and as the creature entered the designated area a volcanic stream of fire blasted from the ground and engulfed both Loki and the creature.

The group's natural reaction was to run to help and as they took several steps forward the stream stopped and dozens of bones fell around Loki and Jan, including the skull of the beast. Loki, who was still crouched opened his eyes and stood back up, taking deep breaths through his mouth.


	22. This Is My Kingdom Come

**Chapter 22:**  
**This Is My Kingdom Come**

"We need to regroup!" Clint screamed as he shot down another creature coming towards him. He had quickly run out of arrows and had resorted to picking up a SPAS-12 shotgun he had found while scavenging for weapons to use. There was the luck that Karnilla and her allies paid no attention to the weapons scattered around the floating islands, it was also an advantage to the Avengers' side that Karnilla chose a military base for her stint. The second wave of bigger and nastier creatures was giving them all a hard time. After Karnilla flew back up to the control tower she remained there and had summoned more of the creatures. She was working hard to keep them all separated and as far from her as possible.

As Clint blasted another round into a creature he was taken aback when the liquefied flesh on the creature gave way to reveal a human skull and other bones, which he was willing to bet, were also human. He whistled to Steve who ran over to the archer. No words were spent but Clint knew that Steve was aware of the same realization. The creatures that Karnilla had been summoning were once the people who occupied the base, only she somehow twisted them. Steve sharply turned around and gave a command as he walked towards another beast, "Clint, you're right, we _need_ to regroup and reach Karnilla together!"

On the other side of that same island Hogun had feverishly fought off a beast and was well on his way to taking down two more when a fireball landed on his right side and sent the warrior flying across the area. He landed roughly on his back but quickly focused. He reached for his double headed ax but as he stretched his arm out one of the creatures stomped on his bicep and snarled. The massive beast retracted its clawed hand and readied itself to attack as another beast crept up beside it and snarled at the warrior. Hogun starred at them while gasping, it was all he could do without his weapon but somehow Hogun was able to pull his pinned arm away and quickly rose to his feet. His weapon was no more than 5 feet away from him so he decided to make a run for it. The Asgardian waited as the creature launched its clawed hand towards him. As it swiped its arm Hogun bent forward completely avoiding the attack. He ran towards the ax but as he neared it one of the creatures swatted the ax further away and another one slammed its massive hand on Hogun's back. Hogun fell face down. As he shook his head to regain his composure he quickly turned around and crawled backwards while keeping both eyes on the creatures as they charged towards him. As Hogun crawled back a spiked tail slammed into the side of one of the beasts and sent it flying. The other beast was engulfed in a shower of fire. Hogun looked up and saw a massive black dragon standing over him.

From the dragon's back Natasha stretched her arm out towards Hogun and said, "Here!"

"Thanks!" The warrior quickly took her hand. Natasha helped Hogun up and Loki took off to look for the others.

"Tony, I need a fix on everyone's location!" Exclaimed Steve.

"I can see you and Clint, just saw Loki taking off with an Asgardian, Jan and Natasha. T'Challa, and Hank are with me. I can hear Hulk but I don't see him. He's higher up than us. I'm gonna take another crack at letting Thor loose."

"No! We need to regroup and reach him together. We can't worry about these things or we'll be here forever!"

"Not second guessing you, Cap, but we should take these things out!"

"May I make a suggestion?" T'Challa intervened having had an idea that fused both Steve and Tony's ideas.

High above in the tower Karnilla had changed back into her formal shape and leaned out of one of the broken windows admiring her work. She felt Thor's glaring eyes pierce through her but she found his anger amusing. "Look at the state of it, Odinson. You could have avoided all of this had you merely turned your traitorous brother over to me." Karnilla turned around to face Thor while a wicked smile adorned her features. "One must wonder why you have so much faith in such a vacillating individual."

"You have not been privy to what I and my friends have seen." Thor answered solidly.

Karnilla turned her head curiously and began to slowly walk towards Thor; she had it in her head to play the older brother into a corner that even _he_ could not slither out of. "Yes, this so called change. This desperate atonement your brother has so cleverly displayed for the world to see." Karnilla grabbed Thor's jaw and squeezed as hard as she could while she continued to spill her vile words into his ears. "You and Loki returned to Asgard but your father saw through his tricks and exiled him and to seal the deal ordered to have him executed if he ever returned! Why do you persist in covering for him? Is the threat of your friends' lives at risk not enough?! They have been with you since the beginning, the Warriors Three even longer than that! What has _he_ done besides bring death and horror to everyone around you and dedicate his time in trying to kill you?"

Thor knew what Karnilla was doing; it was not going to work. What Karnilla or anyone else that tried the same strategy did not know was that Thor had asked himself that very question and had scolded himself numerous times over the subject. He knew his brother was an excellent manipulator and an even better liar. He knew exactly to what lengths he would go to see his plans unfold successfully. He knew it all too well but he also learned when Loki was wearing a mask and when he was showing his face. After staring at the floor for a solid two minutes Thor raised his gaze and in a dry tone answered, "Do you know how to extinguish a wild fire running mad amongst a forest? You don't tame wild fire; you don't even try to control it. That was my mistake once, mine and all of Asgard's. You let the wild fire burn itself out. Yes, it destroyed much but underneath the ashes the trees will grown again. It will never be the same forest but it will be new and stronger." Thor snatched his face out of Karnilla's hand and continued, "Before this night is over _you_ will lay at _both_ of our boots in defeat."

The sun was beginning to set over the horizon and while none formally acknowledged that fact they were all noticing it. It would prove to be yet another obstacle in their way. The fighting continued, they kept climbing and trying to bring down as many creatures as they could but tried not to settle in one island for too long. There were weapons laid out everywhere so in a way Clint and Natasha never ran out of ammo or options. Having found himself a Barrett meant Clint could comfortably stand in high places and kill off anything that came too close to anyone. After finding a comfortable spot on top of a crumbling building he shot down creature after creature. Natasha had made her way to the top of Loki's head and pumped round after round into the creatures using a very loud yet effective AA-12 shotgun she had found. While Natasha fired away Loki let out volcanic hot streams of fire on the targets. Tony would have preferred to fly up ahead of the group to start on the other islands but followed T'Challa's idea. He remained close turning as many creatures as he could into ash. Hulk freely jumped from island to island liquefying each beast underneath his fists. The Hulk never strayed too far as to keep the plan intact, even though he plowed through the crowd quickly and made his way to the nearest island with a single leap. T'Challa's quick moves and blades were assisted by Fandral and Hogun's weapons. Sif and Jan picked up stragglers that banked the group as they moved forward while remaining close to Loki. Steve's shield could do plenty of damage and assisted Volstagg and Hank. As a single unit the twelve individuals moved smoothly across the floating islands, taking down as many adversaries as they could, the creatures that were left had been stranded as they could not reach the group between the islands. When it was time to flee to another floating land mass Loki was able to carry them all with the exception of Jan, Hulk and Tony. Once his feet firmly set on the ground his passengers scattered to continue their extermination.

Karnilla was growing desperate, they were only three small islands away from reaching the control tower and Karnilla's delusions of winning were fading. She let out a growl as she turned to Skurge and Amora. "Both of you with me!" She barked as all three faded into the wind. If her victory could not be assured she would at least make sure her revenge would be satisfied.

Down in the islands the team fought back with everything they had. It was admittedly hard but they were able to take down the monsters running lose. The plan was to remain together and push forward as a single unit instead of running in all sorts of directions. That plan made taking down the creatures easier. Natasha ran up Loki's back and positioned herself on his left shoulder while holding her ground and aiming her weapon. After selecting her targets she opened fire and swept the barrel of the shotgun across the field, bringing down creature after creature with no remorse.

Hank had grown to a colossal size, far bigger than normal thanks to Loki's magic. Hank slammed his fist into the ground and splattered a group of beasts between his knuckles and the concrete of the runway. Behind Hank the Hulk easily rendered a group useless as he took to grabbing several monsters and tossing them with enough force to send them flying out of the island. Another group of beasts gathered between Hank and Hulk and wailed angrily. Hank faced Hulk directly, laced both hands together to form one giant fist and lifted his hands over his head while keeping his eyes glued on Hulk. The Hulk had mimicked Hank's every movement. Simultaneously the giant and the Hulk slammed their balled fists into the concrete and created a wave of air and rock that destroyed the most of the creatures, sent a few flying high and left several on the ground completely dazed. The ones on the ground had been taken care of when Hank casually stepped on them. The creatures that had been sent flying had been disintegrated when Tony blasted them out of the sky.

As the heroes kept fighting a fireball sent Hank down to the ground and a beam of magic tossed the Hulk back. As the group looked to their fallen comrades two distinct roars filled the sky. A slim purple dragon and a hulking grey dragon zipped across the sky while roaring. It seemed Karnilla was not going to go down easily. She had turned Skurge into a dragon while Amora herself took the form of another dragon.

Loki stared up while hissing and baring his jagged teeth and before launching an offense Karnilla had flown up from behind him while he was distracted and unleashed a shower of fire upon him. It had been a minor annoying but his worry came when he had realized that Jan had never left his right shoulder but as he looked he saw her neatly covered by the wing. Natasha had done so as well. The assassin then dropped to the ground and fired her weapon at Karnilla while slowly walking towards her. Natasha pumped round after round into the scaly body of the dragoness without ceasing. The power of the ammunition was powerful though it was not penetrating the scales but Karnilla felt every hit. As Natasha approached Loki wrapped his tail around her waist and flung her high into the sky. The woman continued to fire and once she was high enough and clear of the way Loki unleashed a jet stream of fire directly at Karnilla while Jan fired her stingers at the Norn queen.

As Natasha fell Tony flew under her and caught her right before landing on the fiery stream. He slowed down enough to safely let her fall on her feet and then flew after Amora who had taken to attacking Clint. T'Challa and Steve remained close. When Steve tossed the shield it would glow with a faint green and no matter how far the shield would travel it always came back to the captain. Another boost from Loki's magic. The duo successfully fended off the beasts and Skurge.

In her desperation to win Karnilla overlooked the fact that the only natural shape shifter in the area was Loki so adapting to the form of a dragon had been difficult for Amora and it was worse for Skurge who was more of a warrior than anything else. He was only able to remain in the air for a short time and Amora's cautious approach was costing the trio greatly, even with the help of creatures summoned by both Amora and Karnilla, whose numbers were dwindling at a fast pace.

Skurge pushed on and ran after Jan who had baited him. He ran after the pixie and was finally able to pin her between a collapsed building and his claws. Jan stared at her attacker and as Skurge let out a terrifying roar Jan disappeared and soon reappeared into dozens upon dozens of copies that surrounded the warrior. At the same time the copies powered up their stingers and fired at the same time at Skurge who swung his claws wildly though he missed every copy. As the warrior flailed Loki rushed through the beams and slammed the top of his skull into Skurge's side and pushed him towards the edge of the island. Jan's copies vanished and the real one flew after Loki. Using both clawed arms Loki pushed Skurge off the island and roared loudly as he watched the attacking dragon fall. Jan landed on Loki's snout and both retreated to join the others.

"Well, look who decided to show up. Captain Happy and Lieutenant Smiles!" Tony chuckled as he looked to the south and saw the helicarrier slowly looming between the clouds. As he turned around to continue with the task a scaly tail knocked him out of the sky and Tony roughly tumbled across the island stopping only because he slammed into a car.

"Tony!" Hank exclaimed as he rushed over to him.

"Uh…that's it! Spyro's gotta go!" With that Tony put enough power into his thrusters and aimed both of his palms at Karnilla but a bolt of purple energy stopped him in mid-air. Amora had turned back into her real form and stopped Tony's attack and while he had been jolted he quickly turned his attention to her.

Skurge had been changed back as well. While he let out a war cry he raised his ax over his head and ran towards the group but a spiked tail slammed into his side and sent him flying right into the chest of a slimy creature. Loki then turned his attention to Karnilla. It was hard to tell but he was breathing heavily, he was a gifted shape shifter but all the ability in the known universe would not spare him the exhaust that shifting his shape took on him. Shifting in and out of the dragon form was exhausting and to top it off when he was in his normal shape he used powerful defensive and offensive magic, he was simultaneously holding down a spell that allowed his allies to breathe easily in that atmosphere, another one to prevent the powerful jet streams from blowing them away, another one to keep Tony's suit powered to full capacity, he powered up Jan's stingers, Steve's shield and Hank's sizing was given a boost and he was currently powering through another spell to benefit their plan. A small stinging pain had made itself present on Loki's forehead and while he passed it off as pain from the blows of the creatures he felt it was more than that. He quickly shook off the distraction from the discomfort and ran towards Karnilla at full speed.

Both giant lizards let out a full blown war on each other. Claws ripped apart flesh, teeth gnashed through scales, tails slammed into each other and roars deafened themselves plus all around them. While Loki had taken on a bipedal shape he's clawed feet made plenty of damage, especially that long clawed toe which was shaped like a meat hook. Karnilla had the advantage of relying on her four legs to move better on the ground but despite their small differences both were evenly matched. Amora and the slimy beasts pushed on the Avengers and Asgardians, Skurge had somehow fallen into the background unnoticeably. His eyes were set on a specific target, one he had been aching to exact revenge on as well. Karnilla had claimed ownership of the trickster's cold dead body but Skurge had wanted the same thing as well. It was not to say that Amora did not wish for the same as well but she was more than content in letting Karnilla deliver the killing blow. Not Skurge, no, he wanted to put his ax to proper use. As he slid into the shadows he ran into one of the crumbling buildings and ran as fast as he could to the roof and as soon as he saw his opportunity he took it. Loki had smashed the top of his skull against the side of Karnilla's face and sent the dragoness flying back and as Loki lunged forward with his fangs bare Skurge ran across the top of the building and leapt while holding his ax back. As he flew across the air he drove his ax into the black dragon's throat and slashed it open. As soon as Skurge landed on the ground he stood up and turned around to confirm the kill. The occupants of the island had frozen to stare in disbelief while Loki let out a groan and fell forward.

Skurge planted his foot on the dragon's neck and turned to the Avengers. Amora stood next to Karnilla as she hissed at the heroes and glared. The Avengers and Asgardians glared back. With the trickster down Karnilla, Amora, Skurge and the dozens of beasts under Karnilla's control slowly circled them as they prepared themselves to attack. The group was forced into a tight nit circle while at each other's back. Karnilla and her group launched their attack. The heroes fought back as hard as they could but they were soon overwhelmed. With hardly any room to move or disperse to their attacks were either missing their targets of they were not causing enough damage to force their attackers back. High above in the night sky clouds had begun to circle the control tower and lightning began to erupt from them until a violent electric storm suddenly appeared. Karnilla and her team suddenly froze in place when they saw the mortals and Asgardian warriors enveloped in a bright neon green mist. Skurge quickly turned around to where Loki had fallen but the dragon on the ground had turned back into clouds.

"That son of a whore!" Skurge screamed as he kept his ax close and his eyes surveyed the area. When Amora turned around to see Skurge's unsettled face she was startled as the bodies of the giant creatures that guarded Thor hit the ground with a thunderous thud a yard away from her. As she stared in horror she began to shiver. They had been tricked. This had gone too far and the lifeless bodies of the creatures meant only one thing.

A loud trumpeting roar enveloped the area and as Karnilla jerked her head nervously from side to side she returned her gaze to the Avengers. Tony could not help but spite her even further. He raised the mask and his arrogant smile shun as he pointed up with his index finger. The trio looked up and saw the real Loki hovering over the control tower and standing between the curved horns was an infuriated god of thunder.

"They're together." Amora gasped loudly as she began to slowly step back. "They're together!" She screeched loudly.

Thor held Mjolnir with both hands and raised it high into the night sky. The clouds above continued to circle as thunder and lightning violently danced and screeched, along with the thunder and lightning the clouds were taking on a parade of bright red and orange colors as fire quickly caught on. The clouds formed a cyclone of thunder, lightning, wind and fire above the gods and all Karnilla could manage to do was stare in bewilderment. From the eye of the elemental storm a stream of fire and thunder shot directly down and as it shot down the clouds were caught on fire.

"RUUUUUUUUN!" Amora shrieked in terror as she ran away as quickly as she could to the nearest building. Once the door closed behind her she quickly opened a rift and returned to Asgard. Her confidence had been there as long as Thor remained incapacitated but once he was free she knew it was only a matter of time before she would either be defeated or killed. Paying no attention to the fact that she left her loyal lackey, Skurge the Executioner, behind she went on to hide.

Karnilla and Skurge vanished into thin air as the shower of fire and thunder swallowed all of the remaining floating islands. The Avengers and warriors were protected but everything else was either turned to ash or crumbled. They looked on in amazement as the fire and thunder easily slid off their protective shields and destroyed everything else. At a safe distance Fury and Hill watched as a massive dragon stood in the middle of the fiery storm and both hoped that was part of the Avenger's plan. Back down on the ground cameras, phones and eyes captured the horrific moment and casually made up the story as the events unfolded before them. After two minutes the storm stopped completely and Loki swooped down to the island where the rest of the team was waiting for the siblings.

As soon as Loki landed Thor stepped down and the rest of the team ran towards them. Loki shifted back and patted Thor on the back while the others cheerfully greeted them. Thor was overjoyed to see his old friends and his Midgardian friends together. They were all battered, tired and bruised but they were safe. As Loki walked towards them he inhaled sharply as he shut his eyes and placed his hands on his forehead.

"Are you all right?" Fandral asked and the group turned to the younger brother. There was genuine concern in Fandral's question and on the faces of the other warriors.

"Augh—I'm fine. Just…exhausted." Loki answered but he knew it was more than that. He had pushed himself further than he had done in a very long time.

"Rest at ease." Thor announced with a smile. "Karnilla and her lackeys seem to have retreated back to Asgard and Nornheim." Thor then placed his gaze upon Loki and placed his right hand on Loki's right shoulder and added, "Thank you for everything, my brother. You were exceptional."

Loki's tired and half closed eyes rested on Thor and a small smile was his response as he quietly nodded. He was glad to have gotten the team through the ordeal and was happier that he was able to take back his brother without fail. He did not want to admit it but the Warriors Three and Lady Sif were an aid he could now admit was part of why they were able to succeed. He turned his gaze to them and smiled. The gesture was returned, even from Sif. Loki took a step forward to thank them for the assistance but as his lips parted a loud screech erupted and before anyone could do anything or even react Karnilla swooped down and snatched Loki with her talons. She flew away as quickly as possible and headed towards the control tower. Once near she tossed Loki inside through one of the glass windows.

As debris fell on his aching body Loki turned sideways and gasped loudly. The simple task of inhaling deeply reminded the Asgardian of his mental and physical exhaust. He brought his hands up to his face. There was blood and shards of broken glass ripping into his flesh, the pressure on his forehead had now spread to the back of his head. He had been ignoring it for the past hour. He remained still while breathing heavily, desperately trying to regain his breath. He was exhausted, even the sound of screeching and flapping wings could not coax him to stand. The pressure inside his skull kept rising.

A loud crash startled him. Karnilla. Loki turned his head in the direction of the crash but saw nothing, just his helmet tossed on the other side of the room. There was another crash, this time above him and this time Karnilla burst through the roof. Loki quickly covered his head and assumed a fetal position as more debris fell on and around him. Karnilla let out a raspy hiss as Skurge dropped down to the floor followed by Karnilla. Loki pushed himself to shift form again but it only resulted in the pressure in his head to grow ever more. It got to the point where he could hear a ping inside his head and the pressure behind his eyes were making them water. Ignoring the alarms his body gave him he tried to shift once more but the pounding in his head stopped him. The Executioner grabbed Loki by his throat, lifted him and violently slammed him against the wide concrete column between the wide windows. Skurge released his throat but before hitting the ground Skurge pinned Loki against the column with his ax. The ax's sharp end had been driven deep into the concrete while the metal shaft locked Loki's neck in place.

The warrior took a step back while Karnilla shifted back to her normal form. Some bruises and cuts covered her body but her breathing was at a normal pace and her skin barely showed any perspiration. A smile adorned her features as she opened her right palm and Loki's trident floated up to her hand. Karnilla tightly grasped it as she pointed the business end directly at Loki's head. He, on the other hand, was far too exhausted to even lift a finger.

Right as Karnilla was about to throw the trident a burst of energy and a metallic thud echoed throughout the tower. Mjolnir slammed Karnilla against the control panel along with Jan's stingers. Skurge had been blasted to the ground by Tony and Steve's shield. As Karnilla gathered herself Thor and Jan landed in front of Loki while Tony and Steve removed the ax.

"It'd be pointless to continue, Norn queen." Those were Thor's only words as he caught Mjolnir.

"This is where you are mistaken, thunderer. If a thousand battles in a thousand realms we must participate in then we shall! He may keep running and hiding, you may or may not intervene, but his skull I will, as sure as the sun shall rise, crush with my bare hands!"

"Yeah, I'd love to see you try!" Jan mocked as she aimed both stingers at Karnilla.

"Or…" Thor began, "Perhaps you and I can barter."

"Barter?!" Karnilla laughed. "Your tongue is not as sharp or as quick as your brother's."

"Many have said so. Perhaps this will suit you well. Every realm knows Hela covets my soul, it is rumored she will do anything to obtain it. Maybe even forgive your trespass against her. My soul will free you of Hela's wrath and in return you will leave my brother at peace."

"What?! Have you gone mad?!" Loki protested. "Don't! Do not do this, brother!"

"I know what I'm doing, brother."

"No!" Loki ran up to Thor and pulled him back. "Thor, please, there _has_ to be a better alternative. You can't—"

"If I idly stand by you will be hunted for the rest of your life. We may fight her but it cannot go on forever."

"Listen to yourself! Don't be a fool! This is my own doing so it must fall on me to correct it." Loki's pleading fell on deaf ears. Thor's decision had been made.

"Thor, is this really what you want? You can't be serious…" Steve asked in complete disbelief. In reality, if the Norn queen was to never give up her crusade against Loki's life it would mean disaster for whatever world she decided to land on and the truth of the matter was that Loki had been banished from Asgard so seeking help from their father was out of the question. Nothing seemed to be able to stop her.

"Yes, captain. This is how it must be."

Thor walked over to Karnilla and Loki motioned to run after him but Steve and Tony held him back. Loki struggled but in his weakened state he was easy to hold onto though it did not stop him from spewing curses, foul language and threats.

"If you touch him I will kill you! I'll kill you!"

Karnilla turned her attention to Loki and as a smile formed on her face she decided to do a little taunting of her own, "I may not be able to kill you but I now know how to hurt you." Karnilla shifted into the brown dragon and waited for Thor to get closer. Once he was near he tied Mjolnir on his belt and let Karnilla wrap her clawed and scaly fingers around his waist quickly lifting him away. As Skurge climbed on the back of the dragon he looked Loki dead in the eyes and threw one last taunt.

"Whatever happens now is _your_ fault!"

Karnilla crawled out of the control tower through the hole on the roof and flew away. Loki, Tony, Steve and Jan stared as the dragon escaped and as she did Loki shook Tony and Steve away and ran. He felt his lungs on fire, his chest stung and the pain in his head was now sliding down the back of his neck and wrapping itself around his spine. He had to reach Thor! If he needed to push himself even further he would, even at the risk of severe injury. He clumsily climbed the window pane and without a second thought jumped out of the window. Steve, Tony and Jan gave chase and while Steve could not follow Tony and Jan did. While he fell Loki shifted into the black dragon once more despite the immense pain. He locked his eyes on Karnilla and pressed his wings against his body to reach her. When Loki crashed into Karnilla both of them let out a shrieking yelp.

While falling through the air Loki managed to sink his teeth into one of Karnilla's wings. Karnilla fought back by slashing Loki's left shoulder blade but Loki responded back by crunching the dragoness' wing and disabling her ability to fly. Skurge moved quickly, he jumped onto Loki's back and lifted his ax with one arm while holding on with the other. Before his plan could be carried out Thor managed to break free and before the ax could land Thor had jumped from one dragon to the other and tackled Skurge off of Loki's back. Loki then pulled on Karnilla's right wing so hard he dislocated it and before letting go he expanded his wings to act as a parachute. Before separating from Karnilla and after Thor had climbed on his back Loki kicked Karnilla with both legs sending the Norn queen on a speedier fall.

Several feet below, Karnilla hit the ground on one of the islands. Luckily for Skurge she landed several inches away from him. Loki landed a few yards away with Thor at the base of his neck with Mjolnir at the ready. Loki stomped closer and closer to Karnilla while hissing and snarling. The only way to stop her was to end her life, he lowered his left wing so Thor could slide off and as soon as he did Loki shifted back with his trident on his right hand, but as Karnilla shifted back into her normal shape she raised her left hand in front of her while yelling mercy but Loki was not about to deliver any.

"Stop!" Tony yelled as he stood between Karnilla and Loki. "Maybe this flies back in Asgard but not here, sport, not here." Tony raised his mask to look Loki directly. "She just surrendered, killing her will make it murder. We don't do that."

"Tony…move." Loki ordered breathlessly.

"I can't do that, sport."

"Loki…" It was Jan. "If you do this everything you worked so hard for goes away. You lose us, your brother and yourself again. Don't let her win." Jan gently said as she placed her hand on Loki's arm and put pressure on it to lower the trident.

Loki kept his eyes on Karnilla's as he continued to breathe heavily. He had to admit that the anger was abundant and it would have been so satisfying to drive the sharp end of the trident into her chest and split it open but he was not in Asgard, he was not in the company of blood thirsty warriors whose sense of justice was to exact revenge. He let out a heavy sigh and lowered his weapon as he closed his eyes.

"Well done, brother." Thor congratulated Loki's decision as he patted him on the back even if he himself would have preferred that Karnilla pay with her life so it would have guaranteed that she would never again torment them. The pressure visually elevated from Tony as he sighed deeply and lowered his shoulders. Jan nodded happily and kept her hand on Loki's.

Tony then grabbed Karnilla and brought her to her feet but the loud groaning of the control tower grabbed their attention. The tower had taken on so much damage that it could no longer withstand the wind and it toppled sideways. Tony quickly remembered Steve but before he could fly off they saw Hulk leaping out of the wreckage with Steve over his shoulder. The tower landed on one of the smaller islands and brought it down with it as well. They hoped none of the others were injured. Using the wreck as a distraction Karnilla and Skurge both vanished into thin air once more but Tony was busy trying to set up communication with the team.

"Oh, forget it! Steve, anybody copy?"

"We're fine, Tony. Hulk got me out of there in time. He's been taking us down to the lower islands so Fury can extract us. He said the helicarrier can't withstand the winds up there."

"All right. We'll pick you up on our way to Fury's flying Tonka toy."

"Fine by me, Clint and I will wait out here until you can get us. We're kind of scattered about."

Tony continued to give Steve further instructions while Thor walked up to Loki. He felt a lot of resentment for the way Karnilla slipped through their fingers so easily but he would make sure she could no longer pose as a threat to them.

"Do not fret, brother, I will send word to Asgard with the Warriors Three and Sif about Karnilla's actions. It's finally over."

"Soon as we return the crystals." Jan added as she stretched and smiled at the group.


	23. This Star Will Shine And Then It Will Fa

**Notes:  
****Just one more chapter and this little fan-fiction will be finished! Editing the last chapter is taking too long so I'll leave you guys here with this chapter and this li'l cliff hanger.**

**Chapter 23:**  
**This Star Will Shine And Then It Will Fall**

Everything had gone quite. No more roaring, no more yelling, no more bullets were shot, it was just the wind blowing at an exceedingly fast pace. None of it mattered; Steve kept his ears to the wind and his eyes everywhere. There was no telling if they had surely won or if this was a pause before the worst would hit and as he recently witnessed the buildings, those that somehow still stood, were a constant threat. The captain picked up his shield and walked forward, he knew for certain that Clint was still in the area so he walked on to find him.

"Clint, where are you?" He called out but the only ones responding were the wind and the soft patter of rain falling. The skyline had begun to turn a lighter hue of blue, which was a relief for the captain, as the absolute darkness of the area made it nearly impossible to see. There were some bits of structure that had been caught on fire but as the rain gradually intensified the flames had gone out and Steve was left guessing where to step. He chose to slide his feet across the broken gravel t avoid tripping on debris. There was broken glass everywhere along with sharp rocks and jagged bits of buildings.

"Cliiiint!" Steve called out once more. At the lack of a response Steve sighed heavily and continued his search for this teammate. As he stepped forward he accidently stepped into a newly formed puddle of water. Steve quickly lifted his foot to see but it was in vain, it was still dark out.

"Ugh, I can't believe this." He groaned as he took more steps but kept landing in the same puddle. As he grasped his shield he quickly jerked his body around at the sound of debris falling. "Clint?" Still no answer. As Steve tried to look he could sense something was near him, too near for comfort, for all he knew it could have been Hulk returning to bring him and Clint to the lower islands but Hulk was definitely the type to let his presence be known. He slowly turned around and as he did a low hissing sound made the hair on the back of his neck rise. As the captain raised his eyes he settled them on two large eyes, two large white eyes.

Before he could even react something grabbed Steve's right leg and he was flung into the air. As he flailed a sharp pain shot up his leg and he felt himself being rocked violently from side to side. Razor sharp teeth impaled his calf and crunched his Tibia and Fibula and Steve could feel everything as it tore and snapped in half, his agonizing screams were a testament to it. His body continued to endure the rocking and as blood gushed from the injury he reacted out of instinct. He grabbed the shield with both hands and with all of his might swung the shield into one of the beast's teeth. As the shield cracked the tooth Karnilla shrieked and Steve fell out of her mouth hitting the watery ground beneath him. He groaned loudly but if he was to survive he needed to move while Karnilla was momentarily subdued by the injury.

The skyline grew lighter, it was faint but some light began to erupt through the stormy clouds. Steve looked ahead and saw a building that was still standing. He used his shield to stand and while hiking up his broken leg he waddled as fast as he could towards the building. His grunting and groaning caught Karnilla's attention and before the Avenger could get away she gave chase. Just as Steve was near the small entrance he grabbed the wall and propelled himself inside before Karnilla could snatch him up once more. Steve hit the ground hard and hurt his leg. Unfortunately for him most of the building had collapsed on itself and he was standing in a small room. He quickly stood up and looked around frantically, praying for a way out. Karnilla let out a loud screech that grabbed Steve's attention, he turned around and saw the Norn queen's head partially through the door but luckily she was too big to fit through. Steve's time was limited, before she ripped through the building or changed her form he needed to find a way out.

Karnilla's vision was limited due to only fitting part of her snout through the opening but she could see the captain hopping inside. Out of frustration she let out another loud roar while pushing her body against the building. Steve kept his eyes on her momentarily but then continued to look for a way out until he finally found his exit. There was a door a few inches to the right but some debris had been blocking it. He set the shield down and moved the debris. It was agonizing but he was able to remove the debris and as soon as it was clear he grabbed the doorknob and turned it only find out that the door was locked.

"Oh, God, please tell me you're joking…" Steve exhaled as he rattled the doorknob.

Karnilla pulled her head back and slammed her snout into the opening and managed to get at least a quarter of her neck inside the building. Steve quickly hugged the door and inhaled but Karnilla had stopped about twenty inches from his body. It was a grim situation but nevertheless the good captain chose to go down fighting if he needed to. He grabbed the shield with both hands and slammed the shield against Karnilla's snout over and over. This managed to simply agitate the queen so she opened her mouth as wide as she could and inhaled as much air as her lungs could withstand. As she inhaled Steve could see the back of her throat glowing red and orange and he gasped as fear gripped him.

"Hey, bitch!"

Both Steve and Karnilla looked up. The building's roof had previously been torn down and standing on the edge of the building was Clint aiming the Barrett sniper rifle directly at Karnilla. Karnilla aimed her attack towards Clint but before she could release a fire stream Clint pulled the trigger and hit Karnilla in her left eye. She let out a trumpeting shriek as she pulled her entire body back and flailed in pain. Using that as a distraction Clint jumped down to the door behind Steve and kicked the door near the doorknob. It took four attempts but the door finally gave way and Steve hopped out. Clint threw Steve's right arm over his shoulder and both men ran as fast as they could to whatever direction they could guess was the safest.

Karnilla's eye had not popped though the .50 BMG bullet had drilled into the eye and nestled itself in it. While the pain was monumental Karnilla focused and kept waging her war forward. She had been correct in deducing that killing the trickster was an almost impossible task and she was right about finding another way to hurt him. He made it clear by his actions in the control tower when Thor's life was on the line. Karnilla looked around and soon spotted the mortals staggering across the island and before they could escape she used her one good wing to propel her into the air and used her legs to push her forward. She landed a foot away from the captain and the archer and as they yelled in frustration Clint aimed the rifle at the dragon but as soon as he pulled the trigger it clicked empty and a cold fear engulfed Clint. Steve held the shield in front of both of them though he knew it was in vain. She had the upper hand.

Karnilla roared loudly and lunged forward to snatch them but as she drew close a black spiked tail slammed into the side of her head and sent her crashing into a building. Steve and Clint turned around nervously as a second trumpeting roar deafened them. Behind them a familiar black dragon bared its razor like teeth and aimed its golden eyes directly at Karnilla.

"Loki?" Clint dubiously asked though he was grateful and glad for the rescue.

From the dragon's back Lady Sif and the Warriors Three jumped down and ran towards the men pulling them back while keeping an eye on the dragoness who stumbled as she tried to get up.

"Run! Run!" Sif called out as she grabbed her shield and tightly grasped her leant sword and readied herself to attack Karnilla as she rampaged towards them.

"Wait! No, we can't just leave him!" Steve protested as Volstagg dragged him and Clint away from the warring reptiles.

"We have no intention of leaving his side. Now go!" Hogun screamed as he readied his weapon and ran towards Karnilla.

It would have to suffice. Steve wanted to stay and help but he was severely injured and was of no use to anyone in that state so as much as it pained him he retreated. Clint felt the same way, leaving them behind made him feel ill but he was unarmed. He could only find solace in the fact that he was forced to stay with Steve because of his injury. Both men staggered away to find a place to hide though they agreed to stay close despite their orders.

Karnilla hissed as she stood on her hind legs and slashed Loki across the right side of his face. While he momentarily closed his eyes Karnilla used the opportunity to lunge forward and bit down on the side of his head. Some of her teeth sank into the orbit of his left eye and scraped the bottom of the bone and eye. She proceeded to twist his neck but Loki immediately slammed his tail with enough velocity to plunge her into the ground. He roared as he stomped one foot on her neck and pulled his head back as he opened his mouth as wide as he could to deliver a hopefully deadly bite.

There was not much the Asgardian warriors could do except keep their weapons at hand and hope the sorcerer would win. If they carelessly ran between the giant reptiles there was a chance either one could step on them and bringing the burden of looking out for them and fighting Karnilla would surely slim his chances at a victory.

Before delivering the killing blow Karnilla quickly bit into Loki's throat and managed to pull him down to the ground and while still pinning him to the ground she made use of her talons and slashed away at his side. Loki used what little energy he had in his reserves and burned Karnilla's side with a stream of fire. She let him go and backed away but as he wobbled to his feet Karnilla charged forward and slammed her skull into his side sending him crashing into a building which gave way and fell on him. Karnilla kept her defenses up but all Loki managed to do was let out a pained and low groan as he stayed down.

That was the cue for the warriors to step in. The dragoness wasted no time in turning around to find the mortals. She was going to win no matter what. As she walked towards the area she saw Steve and Clint running to Sif ran after her and as soon as she caught up to Karnilla she jumped and landed on the back of Karnilla's tail and made her way to her neck. Once Sif found her footing she began to hack and slash as hard as she could. The rest of the warriors joined in.

The headache was crippling and as Loki shifted back to his normal self the pain tripled so much he had to press both hands on either side of his head just to keep some of the pressure at bay. He had very little magical stamina left, the little he had was tapping into his life force and he could feel it draining him away, eating away at him. He was in a very dangerous situation but he was determined to carry out the task to the very end. His breathing was stagnant and even doing so pained him greatly. He felt as if he were drowning, as if no matter how much he inhaled he could not properly breathe and his aching body was not helping the situation either. Blood trickled down his nose, out of both corners of his mouth and even out of both ears. One side of his ribcage was cracked and he had bite marks and slashes all over. He could not move either, he was so exhausted that he actually felt like none of his limbs could respond.

He could hear the warriors yelling and Karnilla roaring but he could not give much more much less slow his breathing. But despite his state he rolled over and used his arms to slowly propel lift himself up. Every movement was agonizing and as his body screamed to lie back down he could not do so. Once on his feet he leaned on the crumbled wall and inhaled deeply. As he slowly turned his head to where the roaring and yelling was coming from large fingers wrapped themselves around his throat and slammed the back of his head against the wall.

Skurge smiled as he squeezed his hand around Loki's throat. He lifted the trickster up and tossed him a good five feet away. The wind had been knocked out of Loki but despite the pain he managed to slowly stand up again but as he turned to face his attacker Skurge grabbed Loki by the right shoulder with one hand and with the other thrust a long sword through his stomach and out of his back. Loki let out a sharp gasp as his pupils shrunk and his eyelids opened wide. Skurge held him up and as Loki's eyes dropped to see the sword impaling him Skurge twisted the sword and slowly pulled it out. Loki could feel as the sharp edges of the sword cut through his flesh. Once he pulled the sword out Skurge let go of Loki, who miraculously still stood on his own, and used his ax to open a rip back to Asgard. As the rip closed behind the Executioner Loki could hear as he laughed loudly knowing he completed his mission.

Loki stood as he tried desperately to catch his breath; he placed both hands over his stomach and stared blankly as blood oozed freely from the horrendous wound. As he stood there he let out a gurgling sound and felt his legs weaken.

Volstagg swung his sword but Karnilla used her tail to knock him back. The large warrior rolled over to avoid Karnilla's stomping feet but as he was preparing to lift himself back up he froze as he saw Loki idly standing in the distance. He thought he was about to launch an attack but the more Volstagg stared the more he sensed something was wrong. Volstagg kept looking out of confusion but as he stood up Loki fell to his knees and hung his head. Volstagg shook himself from the trance like state and ran towards him as he sheathed his sword.

Hogun heard the running footsteps and turned around to see Volstagg running towards Loki. He put his weapon down and loudly whistled at the others. When Sif and Fandral looked he pointed towards Volstagg and yelled out, "Something is wrong!" Sif followed his finger and her eyes went wide when she saw Loki on his knees and Volstagg trying to desperately find out what had happened. She quickly grabbed the short sword and tossed it towards the dragoness. The blade went through Karnilla's right hind leg and while she tended to that injury Sif and Fandral ran after Hogun to see what had happened.

"What happened?!" Volstagg yelled out as he knelt down beside Loki and examined him. He was bruised, cut up, bleeding and his left eye was bloodshot but his main concern were the trails of blood sliding out of his ears, his heavy rapid breathing and the blood oozing between his fingers. As soon as the others arrived Sif studied him and saw his hands tightly pressed against his stomach.

"Let me see." She urgently asked as she grabbed his hands and pulled them away. She could barely see anything because of the armor but there was a lot of blood dripping out and pooling on her hand. She quickly grabbed his cape and lifted it up and patted his back until she lifted her hand up and saw more blood and put the pieces together. He had been run through.

"Skurge…" Hogun whispered as he came to the same conclusion and added, "We have to find Thor and the mortals and we must leave quickly."

Clint was worried, there had been a battle a few minutes ago and there was yelling and roaring and suddenly it had all gone quiet. He figured that the Asgardians would come looking for them as soon as it was over but seven minutes had gone by and no one came to look for them. He turned to Steve and whispered, "I'm gonna take a look and see what's up."

"Be careful, Clint." Steve nodded as he leaned his weight on the cracked wall.

Clint slowly walked out of the crumbled building. The sun had risen though the light from the sun had been mostly blocked out because of the rain clouds but it was finally light enough for him to see clearly. The rain had thankfully ceased. Clint made his way across the area eagerly keeping his eyes moving from place to place. It was too quiet. As he passed a large hill of debris he looked forward as a sudden movement caught his attention. As he squinted his eyes he quickly jerked his head back and gasped loudly while turning around. Karnilla had spotted him as well and ran after him. Clint reached Steve and quickly threw the captain's right arm over his shoulders and stammered, "We gotta go!"

As a response Karnilla screeched at the duo and Steve tried his best to keep up despite his broken leg. Clint led them straight to the very edge of the island and as he looked down his hopes of a decently nearby island were squashed as the island under them was hundreds of feet away. They looked back and saw Karnilla catching up. Steve looked around and saw a building a few feet away from them. It was not in the best of shape but it would have to suffice.

"There!" Steve yelled as he pointed at the building.

"All right, let's go!"

The duo ran as fast as their legs could carry them and as Karnilla closed in on them they managed to hide inside the building seconds before Karnilla could snatch them up with her teeth. They stood in the middle of the lobby and kept their eyes open. As they searched for a place to hide a wave of fire burst through the front door but before it could hit them Steve placed his shield in front of them and hunched behind it as best as possible. After that attack Karnilla stood back and looked through the door with her one good eye and saw the captain and archer had not been roasted. Karnilla let out a growl, slowly backed away and as soon as she measured her distance she ran forward and rammed her massive body into the building. The building did not hold together and it actually fell sideways. Steve and Clint were tossed around as half of the building hung over the edge of the island. The half that landed past the edge broke off and fell. The Avengers actually fell across the building. Clint landed on a large window which began to rapidly crack but eventually broke when Steve landed on Clint's back. Clint acted quickly and grabbed the window frame but as he tightened his hands around the edge jagged broken glass sunk into his palms causing him to yell out. Steve had fallen but quickly wrapped both arms around Clint's waist and held on for dear life.

"Heeelp! Lokiiiii!"

Both men screamed instinctively and desperately as they hung from the collapsed building's window. Debris fell around them and occasionally concrete, glass, wood, chairs, lamps and other items fell on them bruising them up and causing their grip to loosen. Karnilla climbed on top of the collapsed building and slowly made her way to the edge where she heard the mortals' screams. As she crept over them Clint and Steve gasped. Karnilla snapped her jaws as she tried to maul them but she was not able to properly reach.

As Karnilla continued her onslaught Loki crashed into her left side and sent her over the edge of the island. As she fell Loki let out a trumpeting roar. As Karnilla fell a rip opened underneath her and she allowed herself to fall into it. The Norn queen had finally admitted defeat.

The warriors ran into what was left of the building and helped Clint and Steve up and made their way out quickly before the walls could fall on them. Once out they found Loki leaning on the wall with his head hung over, that last shape shift had almost drained him into unconsciousness but he fought it. "Holy shit, are—are you okay?" Clint quaked as he stared in disbelief.

"I am…" Loki breathlessly answered while keeping his gaze down.

"Bullshit, you need help and fast." Clint stated as he approached the trickster.

"We must get out of here quickly, he's gravely—" Sif was cut off as Loki held up his hand signaling her to keep quiet. Panic was not going to help them much less him.

Nothing could have prepared them for what happened next. It was not over, not yet. It was Karnilla's and Amora's magic that had kept the islands afloat but once Amora ran away the only one keeping the islands steady was Karnilla alone. Now that she was gone from the realm there was no magical force keeping the islands in place. A low and loud rumble made its presence known, the buildings quacked, the debris on the ground shivered violently and they could feel as the ground itself began to shake. Panic overcame them all.

"This place is falling apart!" Clint yelled out as he looked around in panic.

"Tony, Fury, anybody copy?! The islands are collapsing!" Steve announced into communicator.

Loki closed his eyes and focused on the panic and terror in their voices, not just Steve's and Clint's. He still had the communicator that Tony gave him attached to his right ear, he began to tremble as he heard Tony asking where everyone else was, Jan's panicked voice as she asked if they had seen Hank, even the ever so calm and cool T'Challa was yelling and the desperation in his voice was obvious. He opened his eyes and saw the Warriors Three and Sif looking around as one of the islands above them crumbled and fell, tons of rock, concrete and pavement hit the ground and all Loki could hear was the panicked screaming.

He had seen it over a hundred times and a hundred times he was confused by it. It was selfishness that mostly drove the confusion. Warriors and heroes at the brink of death and yet instead of saving themselves they searched deep inside to give that extra push to save others, their teammates, complete strangers and sometimes the very villains that caused the catastrophe. Even now he stood there and wondered why anyone would be so foolish as to risk their life unless the person was worth the risk, he wondered but he was no longer confused, not after understanding that there _were_ people that to _him_ were worth the risk of a thousand deaths. The same people who had every right to turn him away but did not. The man in the iron suit was right; he _had_ fallen in love with the group.

A pastel green aura shun from Loki, he was tapping into the very last bit of energy he had left, he had made a decision, he knew it was a foolish one but the one he felt right with because it was his choice. The helicarrier and its crew, including that meddling one eyed Midgardian and his lackey, were the first to be teleported back down to the ground. Thor, Jan, Tony, Hulk and Hank were the second group to be teleported. T'Challa, Natasha, Steve and Clint soon followed. Sif was the first to begin to glow but as Loki forced himself he fell to his knees and gasped heavily and loudly. He shut his eyes and concentrated once more. This time only the palms of his hands were glowing and even that was faint.

"What are you doing?" Fandral asked urgently as he saw their legs beginning to glow and vanish. "Lo—" Before he could finish his sentence Lady Sif and the Warriors Three had been teleported along with The Avengers and placed inside the helicarrier which had been teleported back down to the ground and at a safe distance from the collapsing islands.

Once Loki knew they were all out of harm's way he strained himself one last time but the pain in his head did not allow him anymore as his last reserves were spent. He opened his eyes and between breaths whispered, "For all I have caused I am sorry, brother…for this…I am not."

Rock crashed upon rock. Buildings collided and broke as they fell on one another. Concrete rained down along with all manner of debris. Jets, fuel tanks and vehicles collided and caused Earth shattering explosions as the islands continued to fall back down. The sound of rock violently slamming into rock as the islands landed back on Earth caused the crowd to run as far back as possible. The impact of the debris caused seismic activity to spike up though it was not enough to hold the crowd from running away. The crowd ran back towards where the helicarrier had teleported, one hundred feet away from the crater.

Thor watched quietly and in awe as the events unfolded before him and was grateful they had managed to get away safely before the islands collapsed. He noticed T'Challa standing quietly beside him and attentively looking out of the enormous glass at the foot of the helicarrier's war room. The thunderer turned his body slightly and laid his eye upon his teammates. The same expression of shock was plastered all of their faces, mortal and Asgardian alike. Thor's eyes traced each of their faces. He reached one end of the helicarrier and swept his eyes over the crowd once more and this time noticed there was something very wrong. Thor turned around and walked into the crowd in search of one face he had yet to locate.

Panic began to boil his insides as his eyes went wide with horror. Tony, Jan, Sif, Clint, T'Challa, Natasha, Volstagg, Hank, Steve, Fandral, Bruce and Hogun were counted and present. Thor counted again as he moved through the crowd that had become aware of the prince's behavior. Tony followed Thor and heard him quietly naming everyone who had been in the islands prior to them collapsing. The millionaire did a count of his own and as soon as he came up short by one a cold horror washed down his spine. He quickly removed his helmet and followed the Asgardian as he counted as well to make sure they were not making a mistake.

The rest of the team had seen the look of terror on both Thor and Tony's faces and were now looking amongst themselves though they were not aware of the reason why both men were heaving and counting them. Another massive explosion caused the team to look towards the disaster before them and saw a cloud of fire and smoke extruding from the falling debris.

"No…" Thor gasped loudly as his eyes carefully watched as the ball of fire extinguished itself out. "No!" He cried out a second time as he gripped Mjolnir tightly and ran towards the glass at the end of the room and with all of his might swung the hammer at the glass instantly shattering it. Once the glass shattered he twirled the hammer as quick as he could but was stopped by Volstagg who had run after the thunderer knowing well what his intentions were. Thor managed to push the round warrior back but was again stopped by Fandral and Sif who held down his arms. Volstagg stood back up and wrapped his arms around Thor's upper body and pinning his arms against his body.

Thor snarled and thrashed but it was useless. Tony took the chance to run for the opening but was held back by Fury and Maria.

"Noooooooooo—aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" Thor bellowed loud enough to have drawn the attention of the crowd in front of the helicarrier. Cameras and phones were now aimed at the thunderer as he bellowed at the top of his lungs while pinned down by the other Asgardian warriors. The bellows were horrible and loud enough to drown out the sound of the islands as they collapsed back to the crater.

The dust had not yet settled when Thor used his strength to throw his comrades off of him. Once free the thunderer took a few steps back, revved Mjolnir up and thrust himself forward to begin his search for his missing brother. The Asgardian warriors followed suit and jumped out of the opening and ran after Thor. Tony shook Fury and Maria off and took off after Thor to help with the search. The rest of the team ran to the exit and ran towards the crater as fast as they could. Steve, who had been given a set of crutches and had slowly made his way towards the exit.

Fury knew well than to stop them so he remained still and quiet as he watched the Avengers and Asgardians running to the crater as fast as they could. He ordered a medical team to quickly assemble and to rush to the crater although he was less than optimistic that anyone would have survived. Maria nodded in acknowledgement and ran to place the medical team together. Fury took several steps forward as he watched the team disappear into the distance. He stopped in his tracks as he felt his right foot kick a metallic object. As the man looked down he saw Tony's helmet softly swaying from side to side.

The director picked up the scratched helmet and stared into the eyes as Jarvis' electronic voice quietly noted, "Warning, only 17% of power left."


	24. All Around Me Are Familiar Faces

**Note:  
**Final chapter! Gods, I feel so happy but so sad at the same time. I've grown so fond of this fanfiction. After such a long time of lack of inspiration and a rotting rut this darn thing actually got me back to writing and this is the first fanfiction I complete in long years. I'm so glad and so proud of this work but I am pretty sad to have finished it. And I am so sorry for taking so long on editing this last chapter. I personally thought that if it didn't cause **me** to cry then it wouldn't be any good.

This question did pop up so here's the answer. No, as of right now there is no sequel to this story. None. However, an idea popped up once while reading the kid Loki story arc of "Journey Into Mystery" and I kind of thought to myself as I was reading through other fanfictions that this fandom is really full of drama and too much sadness so an idea sort of made itself present to level the playing field.

I **am** in the process of working on an **indirect** sequel for Atonement. Something cute and light and not as long as Atonement is. It's also an excuse to try, emphasis on try, to give comedy a go. Never written anything too comical so it's worth a shot.

**Side note!**

No, Loki is **NOT** aware of what Odin had done in the end. If an idea for a direct sequel does pop up I will work that angle in and have both come to terms with what happened in the Thor and Avengers films. Who knows, maybe inspiration will strike me down after watching Thor 2: The Dark World.

Anyways, thanks to everyone who read, favorited, commented and liked this silly ol' thing! You guys are amazing and kept my spirits up to finish this!

**Chapter 24:**  
**All Around Me Are Familiar Faces**

"Brother!" Thor bellowed while placing both cupped hands on either side of his mouth. As he lowered his hands and scanned the area his own echo responded yet Thor continued, "Brotheeeer!"

The crater was dangerous to trek in. Buildings, roads, glass, steel, gravel and massive boulders were scattered about. There were busted pipes shooting water in all directions and electrical wires everywhere else. Dust and dirt still floating down to the ground made finding his feet in front of him impossible. Thor remained silent for a few minutes, hoping to hear something—anything that would let him know where to find his brother.

The wind was unusually loud, the rushing water from the pipes, the thunder above, the patter of the rain and rocks sliding off each other suddenly became too loud and yet at a distance Thor could hear several voices calling out his brother's name. He could not see them but he heard them, he focused on the voices, focused on the task at hand and tried as hard as he could to fill himself with that never extinguishing bravery he was known for. Thor snapped out of his trance and continued to walk. It could have been said that he was collected even calm but the truth was that underneath his very flesh there was a cold and gruesome panic boiling. Thor tried to contain the rising fear and panic but it was beginning to reflect in his quick steps, frantic breathing and his eyes. They were slightly glazed but he tried his best to hold back any tears even if his own body betrayed him. Thor wondered why he could not hear any pleas for help or screaming or even pained groans. As terrible as it sounded he would have preferred to hear that over the silence for the silence stood for something terrible.

"Brother! Where are you?!" Thor called out once more to the wind; he had not expected an answer though he wished for one.

As Thor walked on he kept his eyes ahead but came to a sudden stop when he kicked something that made a metallic clank. Thor's eyes lowered to rest upon a familiar shiny object. The thunderer knelt down and picked up Loki's helmet. As he rose he examined the helmet, it was misshapen, dents covered most of it and the right horn had actually been torn off while the left one had been flattened against the top. Thor closed his eyes and tried to gather himself, "This does not mean anything." He told himself repeatedly. Thor exhaled as the pattering of the rain lightened, though not by much. He needed to continue onwards, remaining still would have been foolish. Thor placed a hand behind the helmet and set it down beside him and took a deep breath to keep himself calm as he rose.

Thor curled his fingers against his palms and continued to walk. The rain helped in settling the dust in the air and the flashes of lightning shun brightly, it helped to see more clearly. He carefully slid down a wall and landed on several rocks. As he cleared the field of jagged rocks he found a boulder big enough to have been taller and wider than the Hulk. Without a second thought the thunderer climbed the boulder and stood tall. The 360 degree view had been a good call. In the distance Thor's attention had been snatched by something waving in the wind, what Thor thought was an arm waving turned out to be some fabric pinned under a pile of rocks. He focused his vision on the flailing material and suddenly froze as he felt his lungs trying to inhale but as much as he did no air seemed to flow in, he felt as if a giant had punched him on the chest. Thor began to gasp as his eyelids parted quickly and his blue eyes glazed over.

"Brother!" Thor jolted suddenly and jumped down to the ground, he ran as fast as he could towards the fabric. He knew what it was, he could see the green color as it waved idly and it only meant one thing. He found him.

His heart was beating in his ears and his sore body ached but he ran as fast as he could. Once he was next to the pile of rocks pinning the fabric down Thor knelt on the ground and grabbed the fabric. Despite the mud he could just barely make out the dark green color of Loki's cape as Thor grasped it firmly in his hands and his wild and wide eyes passed over it. He pulled it up and to his horror saw a hand protruding from the rocks and as a knee jerk reaction Thor grabbed the rocks around the hand and tossed them aside. Thanking the universe he found some sense of relief when he could see the hand was still attached to an arm. Thor did not stop digging though; he continued to feverishly throw rock after rock, never stopping for a moment, not even to remove the pieces of glass that had thrust into his hands as he carelessly dug.

"Brother…" Thor repeated in a whisper as he looked upon the still body of his brother. He carefully turned Loki around and clenched his teeth as his tearful eyes passed over him. There were gashes, bite marks and bruises of all shapes and sizes on his body, the armor was torn in several places but what scared the god of thunder was the amount of blood. Thor dealt with wounds depending on what they were. If it was a bleeding wound he would simply press either cloth or a hand on it, if it was a battered muscle or bone he would just let it be until someone with actual healing knowledge would handle it. If under normal circumstances he had not even the slightest clue of how to handle the situation now that he was in a full state of panic made it worse. Thor leaned his upper body over his brother and sheepishly hovered his right hand over Loki's chest. After a few seconds Thor gently placed it on his chest and let out a stifled shuddering laugh as he felt Loki's chest rising and falling indicating that he was still alive though his eyes were still closed.

The thunderer was at a loss, he had no idea how to help his brother and the desperation to at least see that his brother was awake made him shiver because it was a rumored belief that if the injured person was awake until they could be healed they would make it. The lack of movement was unnerving and it made it worse for Thor. He shifted his glazed eyes from his brother and moved his head upwards lazily watching the raindrops fall. Thor was never one to ask for help, the very idea of it was almost heresy. He was Thor, the god of thunder, prince to Asgard's throne, mighty Avenger, the most powerful warrior any realm has ever seen; _he_ was the answer to prayers and for the first time in long centuries so afraid he had not even noticed when he had begun to shiver. As he withdrew a shuddering breath he closed his eyes and while placing both hands on the sides of his brother's face he opened his eyes and slowly lowered his face to gaze upon his brother's closed eyes.

Thor began to shiver more, this time gritting his teeth so hard his jaw momentarily clenched shut. As his breathing quickened he softly passed his right thumb over Loki's cheek and closed his eyes once more, this time inhaling as much air as he possibly could.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP! Please! Anybody! HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP US!"

The shout for help left Thor exposed, admitting he needed help meant his brother was seriously injured or worse. He _was_ seriously injured but Thor would not be able to do anything for him except to keep him safe from further harm. As a shuddering breath left Thor's gaping mouth he gently placed his hands on either side of his brother's face and rested his forehead on Loki's.

"Please wake up, little brother." Thor begged as constrained tears had their way and crawled down his face and ragged sniffles let their presence be known whenever Thor inhaled. "Wake up…" he repeated as a stifled sob escaped him as he buried his face in Loki's hair where he continued to sob.

"Thor?"

Thor's eyes opened wide and quickly at the sound of his name. He lifted his upper body and looked down and a ragged gasp was all he could muster as he looked down at his brother's tired green eyes.

"Loki! You're all right! I feared I had lost you!" Thor said as he cupped Loki's face and tried to restrain his tears and calm his shivering though it was futile.

Loki took a ragged deep breath which was more of a wheezing sound and he was glad Thor had not noticed it since he already saw his older brother's panicking state and wished to cause no further panic. "Not…yet."

"Don't say that! You will be fine. Iron Man, Dr. Banner and Ant-Man will be here soon and you will be made better." Thor reassured with a hopeful tone in his voice. "Brother, we must find the others. Can you stand?"

"I…I don't think I can, Thor…" Loki exhaled.

"Please, you have to try."

Loki could barely even speak let alone breathe, standing was out of the question but he needed to. He felt he needed to at least try because not doing so meant he was giving up. He slowly placed his shaking hands on the ground and achingly pushed himself up to a sitting position. He had never felt so much pain before. Thor helped Loki up, holding him as he slowly and miraculously stood on his own two feet. As soon as he found his footing Thor smiled, however, Loki lifted his left foot and a jolt of pain overcame him and he fell back but Thor reacted quickly and before Loki hit the ground Thor had hooked his arms under Loki's to catch him from behind. Thor gently lowered himself while carefully holding his brother and sat on the ground. He stretched out his legs and slightly spread them to sit his brother between them so that he could rest his upper body against Thor's frame. Thor sighed deeply as he wrapped his arms around Loki and rested his head on Loki's right shoulder.

The two brothers remained still and quiet eventually synchronizing their breathing. Eventually Thor fixated his eyes on the dark red stain on Loki's lower abdomen. He stretched an arm and placed it where the pooling blood was falling but Loki gasped sharply. When Thor retracted his hand he stared at the blood and then down at his brother. Absolute panic had taken over the thunderer. Thor tried to stay as strong as he possibly could but he could not hold himself together. He lowered face and clenched his teeth but a stuttering sob escaped him.

"I am so sorry, brother." Thor opened his eyes and looked at his brother as he sniffled.

"There is nothing to be apologetic for, Loki, this—"

"Was my own doing…and I finally paid for it…"

"No! You are stronger than that—it'll be all right, brother, I swear it."

"Thor?! Loki?!" Both looked up at the sound of the familiar voice. Natasha ran as fast as she could towards the Asgardians. She quickly knelt beside Loki and looked him over, signals and flares set off in her head as she saw the blood pooling quickly underneath Loki. With cat like reflexes Natasha grabbed Thor's cape and ripped off a large piece of it and pressed it against the stab wound. It caused Loki to flinch and gasp but Natasha continued to do so to prevent more blood loss.

One by one each member arrived; even Steve who had been handed a crutch had somehow made his way into the crater. As soon as Hank found his way through the group he took over aiding as much as he could. Tony just stared; his glazed eyes gave away what his mind tried so desperately to hold at bay. He turned to Steve but once his eyes locked with the captain's he closed his eyes and walked towards him. Without a word he snatched the communicator from Steve and walked away from the group. At a safe enough distance Tony placed the device in his ear and opened his eyes.

"Nick…" There was a long silent pause as Tony gathered his words but there was not much to say that had not already been known.

"A team has already been dispatched. They're on their way."

As soon as the connection was broken Tony took a deep breath and walked back to the group to see if there was anything else he could do though in better hands Loki could not have been. When Tony returned the first person he looked at was Natasha. He tried to get a reading but it was a blank slate and difficult to decipher. Hank kept the torn piece of cloth pressed on the wound but it did little to stop the bleeding. Tony's eyes diverted to the side as he saw the other Asgardians making their way to the group, their faces were no better than Steve's much less Jan's tear soaked face. She had knelt near Loki's left side and smoothly brushed his hair back while comforting him. Sif took her place next to Thor and sat on her knees. She kept her hands on her knees while looking over the sorcerer. She gently placed a hand on his and wrapped her fingers between his while placing her other hand on Thor's right shoulder.

There had been much hate between the warrior and the sorcerer but in that moment her eyes held something but neither knew what it was, even as tears slid down her cheeks. The rest of the group sat around the brothers, some provided aid while the rest offered comfort and reassurance. So much had changed in a year and several months.

"Thor, remember to…return the crystals..." Loki whispered as he closed his eyes for a moment but then opened them again.

"Loki, you held onto one of the crystals. You will be fine, brother!" Thor boasted loudly as his smile and hope returned to him.

Before anyone else could also smile Loki shook his head as he closed his eyes again, it was now frequent. When he opened his eyes he inhaled and said, "I gave it to you…"

"What?" As quickly as the smile had appeared it had disappeared and whatever glimmer of hope had gone into Thor it had also been extinguished.

"When you…you made that bargain with…Karnilla…I snuck the crystal into one of your pockets…" Loki stopped for a moment to catch his breath but continued, "As soon as I grabbed you to pull you back." Thor was about to protest but before he could do so Loki went on to explain himself. "I was _not…_going to allow…any harm to befall you."

Thor began to search every pocket and as soon as he found the crystal his eyes went wide with terror and the tears began to fall again. In a swift motion Thor took the crystal and pressed it against Loki's chest and said, "It may still work!"

"It's too late…" Loki responded in a whisper.

Thor let go of the crystal and as it fell to the side he began to sob again as he wrapped his massive arms around Loki and held him close in a hug. Loki used what little energy he had left and returned the hug. At the sound of Thor's sobbing Loki began to weep as well, everyone near the brothers followed suit.

"Remember to return the crystals…but please take great care…Hela may be…apprehensive…at first. Watch your back."

Thor drew in a shuddering breath and retorted, "But why do I have to watch my back? You're going to be there with me."

Loki smiled a little as he said, "And I always will be, brother mine."

"Don't…" Thor begged between sobs as he tightened his hug, "Please…" Thor could feel as Loki's chest barely moved. "I love you, brother." Thor gasped as he shut his eyes and placed his forehead on Loki's shoulder.

"I love you too." Loki responded as tears fell down his cheeks. As he slowly exhaled he closed his eyes and Thor could no longer feel his chest move so he quickly lifted his head and frantically placed his hands on his brother's chest.

"Brother? Brother?!" Thor shrieked while heaving and puffing.

Hank moved quickly. He grabbed Loki's left arm and checked his pulse but it was no longer there. No words were needed, the man simply lowered his gaze and gently placed a hand on Loki's head. Tony had to jerk his head sideways and shut his eyes when he saw Jan begin to weep after placing her forehead on Loki's left shoulder and wrapping her arms around his arm. Hank simply placed a hand on her back as he kept his head down and kept his other hand on Loki's head. Clint lowered his head and covered his eyes with one hand while throwing the other arm around Natasha who silently cried while refusing to open her eyes. Steve had mimicked Clint's reaction and covered his eyes with one hand while holding on to the crutch with the other. T'Challa had removed his mask and stood perfectly still while hanging his head. The massive Hulk remained quiet and still as he kept staring at the lifeless body of the trickster in Thor's arms. The Asgardians warriors stood up and backed away, even they could no longer keep their eyes dry.

Thor wrapped his left arm around Loki and tightly grasped the tunic's collar with his right while hanging his head on Loki's right shoulder. The god hollered and bellowed and screamed. As the hollering grew louder it fused with his sobbing and it made a terrible sound. Tony let out a shuddering gasp as he opened his eyes and a few feet away stood Fury with a medical team right behind him. Tony shook his head and Fury understood. The director nodded as he stood by and waited. Hill was at his side and as soon as she heard Thor's hollering her stoic expression melted and she lowered her gaze. The sobbing hollering went on and on and on.

The rain had yet to cease and yet no one had moved, each individual expressed their own sorrow their own way and let Thor express it his own way. Eventually the thunder god quieted his hollering and remained still while holding on to his brother's body as he whispered to his brother. Thor kept his eyes closed even when he heard footsteps near him; he figured someone was going to pry his deceased brother from his hands. He would not protest because he himself refused to move even as he felt Loki growing colder.

Suddenly Thor's eyes went wide and as tears leaked out he narrowed his eyes as rage overcame the thunderer. He slowly lifted his head as he let go of Loki's collar and reached for Mjolnir which rested next to Thor. As he grasped the handle tightly he began to seethe and flare as he laid eyes on Odin. The god king knelt on one knee next to Loki's body while placing his hand on the trickster's right knee.

"Oh, my son…" Odin murmured as he closed his eye.

"Son? Wait, you're—" Tony stammered as he turned around and saw other Asgardians near the brothers. He quickly went into action and powered up his palms while aiming them at the unknown Asgardian. The rest of the team and SHIELD followed suit. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three quickly jumped up and placed themselves between Odin and the Midgardians.

"You gave up the right to call him your son when you disowned him. You do not _ever_ get to call him that! Thor barked back as he aimed Mjolnir at his father.

"No matter what choices you make, both of you, you will always be my sons." Odin answered as he kept his eye on Loki's lifeless body. Disbelief and sorrow threatened to break Odin's hold on the situation but the deity kept his composure as firm as possible though the desire to reach up and hold his sons in a hug was overwhelming.

"No." Thor replied. "His death lies at your feet; his blood is in your hands."

"And your death…would have landed at his."

"It doesn't matter! Thor shrieked as he smashed Mjolnir on the ground beside himself. "I didn't send him away, I stayed with him! Through the pain and hatred and I—we—did what no one else would! It doesn't matter, you coward!" Thor sputtered as he heaved. He looked down and saw Odin's hand still on Loki's knee and a wave of fury and rage enveloped him as he gritted his teeth and snarled, "Don't touch him."

"You heard him!" Tony shouted. "Get away from them!"

Odin rose to his feet and looked at the mortals who firmly stood behind him and eagerly defended his two sons. Their eyes were red and watery, their bodies were battle worn but they still lived and it was all thanks to Loki who lay lifeless at his feet. Even Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were alive and well thanks to his youngest son.

"I cannot undo what has transpired here," Odin began as he turned to face Thor, "But I have recently come to be owed a favor and when a king calls upon a debt, no matter who the debtor is, it will be answered swiftly and quickly."

Thor slightly lowered Mjolnir out of curiosity though he kept his defenses up. To Heimdall's right a rip slowly opened and while everyone in the area kept a steady eye on the new development a figured walked through. A woman stepped through. She was tall and pale as morning light. Her long silky hair and thin revealing clothing swayed gently in the wind. Had it not been for her intimidating presence and the fact that half of her body was rotted she could have easily ensnared anyone who laid eyes on her. The woman stood next to Odin and looked at Thor while smiling mischievously.

"I do believe you summoned me, my liege."

"I named the thief who robbed you of your possessions. My sons retrieved said items with the help of these mortals and my eldest shall return them promptly." Odin responded.

"And now I return to you that which you have lost. As per our agreement." Hela answered as she looked to Odin and then back at Thor.

Thor blinked in disbelief; Odin had worked behind the scenes and twisted everything in their favor. Hela smoothly dropped on one knee next to the brothers and placed one hand on Loki's lower jaw and opened his mouth while she pointed her index finger directly into it with the other hand. Thor jerked his head between Loki and Hela and watched cautiously. A trail of light from the tip of her finger swiftly flowed into his mouth until her hands stopped glowing. Hela sighed and closed his mouth and took a few steps back. Thor looked down at his brother's lifeless body and his eyes went wide with shock as he saw Loki's chest rising and falling again. Thor turned to Odin and then at Hela and laughter blurted from him as he placed his left hand on Loki's chest.

The rest of the Avengers lowered their weapons and ran towards Thor. Bruce had returned to his meek form and placed two fingers on Loki's wrist. A smile formed on his face as he felt a steady pulse. "He's alive!"

"Word of caution, mortals." Hela announced. The team looked to her and she continued, "This was a one-time deal. He is still in a very delicate state, if he should die, you lose him forever."

Bruce called Fury and the medical team over and while they carefully tended to him Thor stood up and walked up to his father. Odin simply smiled and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. The gesture and their expressions alone were enough to nullify the need for words. Odin then looked as they tended to Loki and his smile grew. "If he ever chooses to return home he is welcome to do so." Thor chuckled as he realized what his father was saying, he turned to Sif, Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg and they returned the smile but turned his eyes back to his father. "I am proud of both of you."

As Hela set one foot into the rip she turned around and said, "By the way, _very_ good bluff, Odinson." Thor, the warriors, Odin and Heimdall turned to face her and she added, "I may be willing to do anything to gain your soul for my realm but…forgiveness and mercy is out of the question. Hmmm, though after your brother's display I would have gladly kept him in my realm. Pity." With that Hela crossed the rip and closed it behind her.

Odin opened another rip, this one leading back to Asgard, and motioned for the Warriors Three and Sif to head through and they did without question. They gave Thor a hearty farewell and stepped through, Heimdall followed close but before repeating the action Odin looked to his son once more and with a wide smile said, "I might not have been present, son, but I lived through the same pain and hatred but I find great joy in the final results." With those final words the one eyed god king of Asgard returned.

**10 months later:**

"You dare think to defeat me, Doctor Doom? Fools!" Victor Von Doom placed both fisted hands at his hips and cackled as he looked down on the Avengers. As he floated above the street a dozen of his robots circled the Avengers and while they were more than capable of handling the situation under normal circumstances it seemed that Doom had upgraded his machines' hardware and they proved to be a bit taxing. Doctor Doom had fancied himself a rematch with the Avengers after they had foiled his plans a month ago when he came to California but he had prepared himself properly to face each member of Earth's mightiest heroes.

"Destroy them!" Doctor Doom commanded with a booming voice.

Down on the street the Avengers braced themselves for the coming attack, which unfortunately for Doctor Doom, never came. One by one the robots exploded and as soon as the smoke cleared Doctor Doom saw a man hovering above the Avengers. He wore strange black armor with gold details, a long dark green cape and a helmet with curved horns. A bright green light shun from his left hand while his right hand held a silver trident. Green energy sparked and crackled from his arms as his glowing eyes targeted the Latverian menace.

It was not the existence he had been raised to expect, he wore no crown and had no kingdom under him. He was no hero, there would be no songs or epic poems depicting him, his home was not the great golden halls where gods roamed and he was more than sure Valhalla's doors would not permit him entry. Despite all of this he found he was fine with this. He existed as himself, he was not expected to be any other way than himself and those he held dear accepted him as such. He could walk tall without fear of whispers of malcontent; he could express himself without smudging his true self, there were no assumptions as to how he really felt or of his actions. Best of all he was embraced equally and dearly.

As a mortal once told him: everyone, even gods, deserve a chance to tell their story and correct their mistake and _nobody_, however powerful or small, could be denied a second chance to fly as free as he chose and this was his choice. To exist as he chose and every so often when the mighty forces of Midgard were faced with a peril too great for them, when a peril that threatened their very lives loomed over them like a deadly shade an even greater shade rose above to aid. He was that shade.

"If I were you," Loki hissed as a mischievous smile formed on his face, "I wouldn't do that."


End file.
